Invitro assessment of green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea feeding performance on cotton aphid species

Abstract

Aphis species well known as sucking insect pest of many agriculture crops. It’s attacked on cotton crops reduce the quality of fruits and crops yield. To the management of aphid’s species green lacewing has been used as biological control in present experiment. Study was carried out in Bio-control Research laboratory, Department of Entomology, SAU, Tando Jam, to compare the feeding efficacy of Chrysoperla carnea on Cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii with Akk aphid, Aphis nerii, Safflower aphid, Urolecen carthemi, and Cabbage aphid, Brevicoryne brassicae under laboratory conditions at Temperature 26 ± 2 and Relative humidity 65±5 %. The result indicated that maximum feeding efficiency was observed in third instar 23.66 ± 0.60/day on Aphis gossypii followed by second and first instars of C. carnea, respectively. Whereas, the highest per stage consumption rate was recorded in third instar 91.00 ± 1.79/stage when reared on Aphis gossypii followed by second and first instars of C. carnea, respectively. In the first, second and third larval instars of C. carnea preferred Aphis gosypii followed by Brevicoryne brassicae, Urolecen carthemi and Aphis nerii, respectively. The analysis of variance revealed that there were highly significant (P<0.05) difference in feeding efficiency in the larval instar of C. carnea on aphid species. The result further revealed that the development period (DP^-day) and rate development (RD^-day) significantly (P<0.05) different in larval instars and pupa of C. carnea on different aphid species. Similarly maximum adults emergence % was observed on Aphis gossypii (92%), following by Brevicoryne brassicae (87%), Urolecen carthemi (84%) and Aphis nerii (80%). A statistically Significant (P<0.05), difference was observed among all of given treatment.