Hyposoter didymator, Hostage, Developmental Period, Sex Ratio, Size of the Progeny, Degree of Parasitism, Spodoptera litura.
Abstract
Hyposoter didymalor Thunb. was found to parasitise 0-6 day old Spodoptera litura (F.) larvae in the laboratory at 24.5 ± 1 °C and 65 per cent RH. Effect of host age on developmental period of immature stages, sex ratio of adults, size of the progeny and degree of succcssful parasitism (survivorship) of the parasitoid were investigated. There was a significant negative correlation between the host age and the parasitoid developmental period, while the size of the progeny was observed to increase with the age of the host. Maximum parasitism was observed in 5-day-old host larvae.