Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2018) 7(3): 2574-2586 International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 7 Number 03 (2018) Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com Original Research Article https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2018.703.298 Fertility Table Parameters of Predatory Bug Orius bifilarus Ghauri (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) Preying upon Thrips palmi and Eggs of Corcyra cepholinica Nisha Devi*, P.R. Gupta, K.C. Sharma, P.L. Sharma and B.R. Negi Department of Entomology, College of Horticulture, Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, 173 230, India *Corresponding author ABSTRACT The study was carried out to construct the life table and to study the age dependent K e yw or ds reproduction of the predatory bug Orius bifilarus feeding on fictitious host, eggs of rice Orius bifilarus , meal moth, Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton) (Lepidoptera: Galleriidae) and on its natural Thripspalmi , Corcyra host, Thripspalmi Karny (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) (collected from cucumber) under cepholinica, Life table, controlled conditions (25 ± 1°C, 65 ± 5% RH). Themean durations of the pre, post and Age dependent reprouction oviposition periods were 4.3, 1.4 and 14.2 days on C. cephalonica eggs and 4.1, 2.1 and 16.4 days on thrips, the difference being non-significant. The fecundity of O. bifilarus Article Info reared on Corcyra eggs and thrips did not differ significantly and was 40.8 (20-65) Accepted: eggs/female and 42.1 (7-67) eggs/female, respectively, though the female survival was 20 Fe bruary 2018 slightly longer (22.7 days) on thrips as compared to Corcyra eggs (19.8 days). The Available Online: intrinsic rate of natural increase (rm) on respective host was 0.088 and 0.085 and hence 10 March 2018 Corcyra eggs can effectively be used for mass rearing of O. bifilarus. Introduction efficacious biological control agents against many thrips species, including Frankliniella Flower bugs in the genus Orius are efficient occidentalis (Pergande) (Blaeser et al., 2004; predators of a wide range of arthropod pests Osekre et al., 2008; Chow et al., 2010), such as thrips, aphids, mites and eggs of Frankliniella bispinosa (Morgan) (Shirk et al., lepidopteron pests (Wang et al., 2014). 2012), Thripspalmi Karny (Kawai,1995; Although Orius spp. are polyphagous, these Carvalho et al., 2011; Hemerik and Yano, predators show a preference for attacking 2011) and Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood larval and adult thrips (Kakimoto et al., 2006; (Dogramaci et al., 2011). In India Orius Xu and Enkegaard, 2009). Thrips indicus (Reuter), Orius insidiosus (Say), Orius (Thysanoptera) are cosmopolitan pests of tristicolor (White), Orius laevigatus (Fieber) manyimportant agricultural plants (Stuart et and Orius albidipennis (Reuter), have been al., 2011). They cause damages directly by reported to be an effective predator of F. feeding and indirectly by transmitting viruses occidentalis, Therioaphis maculate (Buckton), (Sakimura, 1963). Flower bugs have proven Gynaikothrips ficorum (Marchal), 2574 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2018) 7(3): 2574-2586 Megalourothrips nigricornis, Sericothrips However, no information or published data on variabilis (Beach), eggs and newly hatched reproductive biology or life table is available larvae of cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa for O. bifilarus. Therefore, the objective of the armigera (Hübner) and Helicoverpa zea present study was to determine the life table (Boddie), whiteflies, aphids, leaf hopper parameters of the flower bug, O. bifilarus, nymphs, mites and nymphs of cotton flea when fed on its natural prey, Thrips palmi and hopper, Psallus seriatus (Reut.) (Rajsekhara fictitious host i.e. eggs of C. cephalonica at and Chatterji, 1970; Awadallah et al., 1977; constant temperature as the temperature plays Ananthakrishnan and Sureshkumar, 1985; an important role in determining the growth Nasser and Abdurahiman, 2004). rate of insects as insects are poikilothermic animals whose metabolism, rate and Life table parameters, especially the intrinsic magnitude of growth, development and overall rate of increase (rm), are very important behavioral activities respond significantly to biological features for describing the temperature change (Saxena and Murty, population growth rate and are used to assess 2014). the potential effectiveness of natural enemies. These tables can describe duration and Materials and Methods survival at each life stage. Daily fecundity data generated by these tables allow prediction Rearing of the population size and age structure of a natural enemy at any time (Southwood 1976; O. bifilarus used in the experiments were Southwood and Henderson, 2000). collected on flowers and apical bud of cucumber, Cucumis sativus (L.) in Himachal Tommasini et al., (2004) carried out Pradesh (31.1033° N, 77.1722° E), India. O. laboratory trials in order to determine bifilarus was identified by using the key and biological traits and predation activity of four single rearing method (Ghauri, 1972; Orius species, viz. the palearctic Orius Yasunaga, 1997a, 1997b, 1997c). The adults majusculus (Reuter), O. laevigatus and were paired up and released in plastic Oriusniger Wolff and the Nearctic O. container (10.5 x 10.5 x 10.5cm3) with a insidiosus, using Ephestia kuehniella (Zeller) moistened filter paper placed at its bottom and eggs and F. occidentalis adults as prey. covered with a muslin cloth. Bean pods were Baniameri et al., (2005) too studied life table provided as egg laying substrate. Adult rearing and age-dependent reproduction of O. niger was divided into two experimental units. In on E. kuehniella eggs. Kemasa et al., (2008) one experimental unit adult predators were study on biological life table of Orius minutus provide with its natural host i.e. T. palmi (L.) fed with Thrips palmi and eggs of (collected from cucumber) as its prey and in Corcyra cephalonica. another rearing unit they were provided with its fictitious host i.e. eggs of C. cephalonicaas Tiwari et al., (2017) conducted studies on the prey. Adult predators were provided with biology and predation efficiency of fresh prey after every 1-2 days. Pods Eocanthecona furcellata (Wolff.) on different containing eggs of the anthocorid bugs were hosts viz., Maruca vitrata, Spodoptera litura, collected daily or on alternate days depending Spilarctia obliqua, Corcyra cephalonica under on egg laying rhythm of the female and placed laboratory condition to find out its preferred in separate container for hatching and host, with the intention that the same could be emergence of nymphs. Subsequently, nymphs utilized for the mass rearing. were shifted to vials and provided with 2575 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2018) 7(3): 2574-2586 respective prey for rearing them to adult stage. surviving to start of age interval x) and mx Emerged adults were sexed, paired and further (average number of female eggs laid by a utilized to multiply their numbers. female of age x). The most basic measure of Observations on reproductive biology were reproduction is the average number of eggs recorded by maintaining male and female in laid by a female in the cohort in the interval x pairs from the raised culture in rearing to x+1 and is denoted by Mx. The fraction of chamber containing sufficient prey as food these eggs that hatch represents the hatch source and oviposition substrate. Each pair of schedule, hx 0). We followed the methods of bugs was transferred to a test tube of diameter Birch (1948), Howe (1953) and Carey (1993) 3cm and length 15cm. Opening was covered for calculating life table parameters and by a muslin cloth to provide ventilation. 20 reproductive parameters. Southwood (1976) such pairs were kept for these studies in each gave a graphical method for the calculation of experimental unit. The dead male was precise value of rm. The arbitrary values of rc replaced by another male. Observations on up to two decimal places were substituted in -rm(x+0.5) attaining reproductive maturity, duration of the formula Σlxmxe until the two values pre-oviposition, oviposition, and post- were found one of which lie immediately oviposition periods were recorded. Total above1 and the other below 1. These values number of eggs oviposited during survival of were then plotted on the horizontal axis the female and hatchability was recorded. The against their respective arbitrary values of bugs were daily provided with respective prey rmon vertical axis. The points were joined to and bean pod as food and oviposition sites. give a line which intersected a vertical line -rm(x+0.5) Bean pods were checked daily for Orius eggs drawn from the desired value of Σlxmxe and were kept in test tubes of diameter =1. The point of intersection gave the value of 1.5cmand length 9cm until hatching. After rm accurate to three decimal places. The hatching II instars were sifted individually to intrinsic rate of increase can also be used to another test tube provides with moistened estimate the effect of mortality of each stage filter paper and respective prey to avoid on the population growth rate, and this can cannibalism. Survival of eggs was recorded subsequently be used to optimize mass after the hatching of all of the eggs. To rearing. Antilog of rm is known as finite rate of prevent disturbance of nymphs, their survival increase, which depicts the number of times and sex were recorded at the emerging of the the population increases per unit time in a adults. generation.Net reproductive rate (R0), intrinsic rate of increase (rm), finite rate of increase (λ), Fertility analysis intrinsic birth rate (b), intrinsic death rate (d), doubling time (DT) and mean generation time Fertility table was developed by using (T) were calculated using the formulae shown developmental biology statistics as per Birch in Table 2. (1948) and elaborated by Howe (1953) and Carey (1993).Data recorded on mortality in Results and Discussion immature stages, number of adults formed and proportion of females among them, female The survival and fecundity rate are two progeny laid by each female at specific pivotal important parameters which contribute age and percentage of alive females of specific towards population increase.