Serological analysis of predators of Helicoverpa armigera Hubner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) eggs in sorghum-pigeonpea intercropping at ICRISAT, India: A preliminary field study

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Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) is a serious pest in many regions of the Old World, including South India. Heavy reliance on chemical insecticides has led to high levels of resistance as well as environmental hazards. This has raised interest in alternative pest management approaches, especially control by natural enemies. While the role of parasitism has been relatively easy to document, evidence of predation has been primarily circumstantial or indirect, based largely on correlations between pest and predator population estimates. An objective of the present study has been to identify and begin to evaluate predators as potential biological control agents of H. armigera. Eggs and potential predators were censused in the field, and predators collected and frozen during the censuses were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using a monoclonal antibody for helioithine eggs. The ELISA data identified the following egg predators: Cheiracanthium inornatum O.P.-Cambridge (Araneae: Clubionidae), Menochilus sexmaculatus F. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), Ouius rantillus (Motschulsky) (Heteroptera: Anthochoridae), Formicomus sp. (Coleoptera: Anthicidae), and H. armigera larvae. The pattern of predation over the cropping period was established by associating data from the field sampling of eggs and predators with data from ELISA of the same predators. The present study illustrates the use of immunoassay of field-collected predators in conjunction with pest and predator population estimates in evaluating the role of predators as biological control agents.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationECOLOGY OF AGRICULTURAL PESTS
EditorsWOC Symondson, JE Liddell
Number of pages15
PublisherCHAPMAN & HALL
Publication date1996
Pages367-381
ISBN (Print)0-412-62190-8
Publication statusPublished - 1996
EventInternational Symposium on the Ecology of Agricultural Pests - Biochemical Approaches - CARDIFF
Duration: 21 Sep 199423 Sep 1994

Conference

ConferenceInternational Symposium on the Ecology of Agricultural Pests - Biochemical Approaches
ByCARDIFF
Periode21/09/199423/09/1994
SeriesSYSTEMATICS ASSOCIATION SPECIAL VOLUMES

ID: 275066416