Mass rearing technique of pink stem borer, SeD98 (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) using baby corn for Larval Parasitoid, Cotesia flavipes (Cameron) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) production

Abstract

Mass rearing of pink stem borer, Sesamia inferens (Walker) is important to produce larval parasitoid, Cotesia flavipes (Cameron)for controlling sugarcane stem borer. The biology of pink stem borer using baby corn conducted under laboratory conditions maintained at 25±2 ºC, 45-70 % RH, 12L: 12D photoperiod revealed that the total life cycle from egg to adult emergence was completed in 30 to 36 days with an average of 34.00±2.05 days. The average incubation period was 5.30±0.48 days. The larval stage was five instars completed in 17.29±8.33 days. The pupal period was 10.79±0.70 days. The average number of egg laid per female was 363.67±91.38 eggs. Study of rearing developmentmethod was compared between rearing container from one to two boxes at the age of 9 days old larvae and the method of keeping larvae in one container. The result revealed that separated rearing container at the age of 11, 15 and 18 days old larvae yielded survival rate of 81-98% without significance difference. At 21 days old larvae of separated rearing container showed survival rate of 88% with significance difference to non separated rearing container (73.2%). Furthermore, pupal weight of male and female was significantly higher compared with keeping larvae in one container. The larval parasitoid production using pink stem borer larvae showed that one larva yielded 43-173 parasitoid pupae with an average of 63.26±28.07 pupae. Adult emergence and sex ratio were 94.99% and 1: 3.35, respectively. The longevity of male and female was 6.58±6.74 and 8.00±6.68 days.