Production of Trichogramma on Lepidopterous Eggs : Colonization of Trichogramma for Biological Control of Pests

The present study was conducted for efficient and quality production of stingless wasp, Trichogramma chilonis Ishii on grain moth, Sitotroga cereallela (Olivier) and rice meal moth, Corcyra cephalonica (St.). Biological control offers effective alternatives for the control of many insect pests. The most favorable temperature was 28 C on which maximum rate of parasitism and adult emergence were obtained from S. cereallela eggs as compared to C. cephalonica eggs. Under no choice test, the percentage of oviposition and adult emergence was the highest at 2 h eggs of both hosts. For host density percentage parasitism and adult longevity was the highest at 20 eggs whereas emergence was the highest from 10 eggs of S. cereallela while of C. cephalonica percentage parasitism and emergence was the highest at 10 eggs. For parasitoid density, parasitism was the highest at 5 pairs of Trichogramma. It is concluded that S. cereallela eggs more suitable as compare to C. cephalonica eggs for mass and quality rearing of parasitoid, T. chilonis. Use of T. chilonis is the most appreciated to control of specific hosts as biological control agents.