Ahmet BAYRAM1 and Serpil KORNOSOR2
1 University of Dicle, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Plant Protection Diyarbakýr/TURKEY
2 University of Cukurova, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Plant Protection 01330 Adana/TURKEY
Sesamia nonagrioides and Ostrinia nubilalis are the most destructive pests threatening the agricultural production of second crop maize in Çukurova Region. Trichogramma evanescens was found to be most effective natural enemy of O. nubilalis and also was able to parasitize S. nonagrioides eggs at low rate in the nature. The aim of present study was to evaluate effectiveness and biological features of T evanescens on S. nonagrioides eggs when it was used in inundative releases to control 0. nubilalis.
Effect of temperature on biological properties of the egg parasitoid T evanescens such as longevity, number of parasitized eggs and life time fecundity, emergence rate, sex ratio, number of emerged parasitoid per parasitized egg on the eggs of S. nonagrioides were determined in climatic chambers at respective constant temperatures 20±1ºC, 25±1ºC and 30±1ºC, 60±10 % relative humidity and 16 h photoperiod.
Developmental time and adult longevity of the parasitoid were negatively correlated with increasing of temperature. Number of parasitized eggs and total fecundity were found to be greatest at 25ºC.
Much efforts must be devoted to control of S. nonagrioides by inundative releases of T. evanescens in the nature.
Key words: Sesamia nonagrioides, T. evanescens, biological properties, different temperature