THE PARASITISM OF Eretmocerus mundus MERCET (HYMENOPTERA; APHELINIDAE) ON Bemisia tabaci GENNADIUS (HOMOPTERA; ALEYRODIDAE) and ITS MASS REARING ON SEVERAL ALTERNATIVE HOSTS
ABSTRACT: Sweet potato
whitefly Bemisiatabaci Gennadius is one of major pests of vegetables. One of
techniques to control this pest is the use of parasitic wasp Eretmocerus mundus
Mercet. This research was aimed to find out the effect of host density on level
of parasitization and alternative host for mass rearing of E. mundus. This research was carried out at green house
of the Departement of Plant Pests and Diseases, Faculty of Agriculture,
Universitas Padjadjaran. In parasitization test, the experiment was arranged in
a randomized block design consisting of six treatments (50, 100, 150, 200, 250,
and 300 nymphs of B. tabaci) and four replications. In alternative host test, five treatments (B.
tabaci, Trialeurodessp., Aleurodicus sp., Aleurocanthus sp., and Aphis
gossypii) were used. The result showed that host density affected on the
parasitization level. The highest parasitization occurred at host density of
200 nymphs, that was 29.25%. Trialeurodes
sp. and Aleurodicus sp. can be parasitized by E. mundus with
levels of parasitization were 19.6% and 2.6%, respectively. There was no
significant different between the parasitization on Trialeurodessp. (19.6%) and
B. tabaci (24%). However, the
performances of the parasitoid (parasitization level, adult emergence, and host
feeding behaviour) reared on B. tabaci was better than those reared on
Trialeurodes sp.
Author: Sudarjat, Natasasmita,
S., and Hadiani, R.U.
Journal Code: jpbiologigg120008
