Life history and biocontrol potential of Hambletonia pseudococcina compere (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) against pineapple mealybug, Dysmicoccus brevipes (Cockerell) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in Bukidnon, Philippines
2024
Palahang, K.N.
Hambletonia psuedococcina Compre is one of the parasitoids against pineapple mealybug, Dysmicoccus brevipes (Cockerell). Mealybug is an important pest that significantly reduces pineapple production and fruit quality. Host stage preference, life history, parasitism rate, and reproductive potential of parasitoids were investigated under laboratory conditions. The total development period of the female H. pseudoccina from egg to adult emergence needs 23.55 +- 0.66 days. While the male wasp requires 22.80 +- 0.22 days. The highest parasitism rate was 54% from ten mealybugs. The potential fecundity of adult females was 105.4 +- 0.6 deposited eggs and realized fecundity with 48.0 +- 0.6 successfully emerge parasitoid. Adult mealybugs were presumed to have a defense reaction in response to developing parasitoids. A single parasitoid was observed to deposit more than two eggs on a single host which somehow an adaptation to increase the chances for the survival of its progeny. Also, the ability to reproduce without the need for egg fertilization provides the parasitoid are recommended to determine its behavior and performance under different conditions.
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