S. ÖZTEMIZ
Plant Protection Research Institute, 01321, Adana/TURKEY
S. KORNOSOR
University of Çukurova, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Plant Protection, 01330, Adana/TURKEY

This study was conducted to determine the effects of different irrigation systems on inundative releasing the egg parasitoid, T. evanescens against O. nubilalis in maize in Çukurova Region of Turkey in the years of 1999-2000.
O. nubilalis, Ephestia kuehniella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and T. evanescens were reared in a climatic room under constant temperature (25±1ºC), relative humidity (65±10%) and appropriate light regime for three species.
T. evanescens was applied two times at a rate of 75.000 parasitoid/ha with 10 days interval at the beginning of the oviposition period of third generation of O. nubilalis in the second crop maize. It was found that irrigation was an important factor for effectiveness of T. evanescens and significant differences in two irrigation systems were obtained. The efficiency of T. evanescens was higher in the flooding irrigation than the sprinkle irrigation. Egg parasitism was 81.06% and 84.31% in the flooding irrigation; 66.37% and 69.26% in the sprinkle irrigation in 1999 and 2000 respectively. The reduction of infested plant with O. nubilalis was 80.00% and 88.31% in the flooding irrigation, 60.71% and 68.85% in the sprinkle irrigation respectively. Also, the yield was increased approximately 150-200 kg/per da in the flooding irrigation system than the other one.
In conclusion, maize is a very important and widely planted agriculture product in the Çukurova Region. Especially, O. nubilalis is a main pest on the second crop. So far, it was controlled at least three application in 10 days interval by chemicals. After this research, for releasing T. evanescens to O. nubilalis showed that the better control than the insecticides. Because of these, in near future to conduct the biological control against O. nubilalis with egg parasitoids will be effective in this region of Turkey.