The occurrence of rice hispa, Dicladispa armigera (Oliver) and its parasitoid, Chrysonotomyia sp. under mid-hill conditions of Himachal Pradesh

Abstract

Systematic observations as carried out in selected experimental plots and farmers field at CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvidyalaya, Rice and Wheat Research Centre, Malan (HP) during kharif 2015 and 2016, revealed that the rice hispa (adults) started infesting the paddy crop early in the season at 26th Standard Meteorological Week (SMW) and it continued till the crop matures (40-44th SMW). The grub incidence was reported from 28-39th SMW. Simultaneously, random samples of mined leaves were collected from the surveyed plots, brought to the laboratory, examined for field parasitism symptoms, maintained and reared for further investigations, recovered the association of hispa grubs or pupae with a gregarious parasitoid, which was identified as Chrysonotomyia sp. (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae: Entedoninae). Also, the maximum parasitization rates for this vary species of parasitoid were recorded during 34-39th SMW, with the mean parasitization of 46.0 and 39.3 percent during kharif 2015 and 2016, respectively. The natural parasitization of grubs or pupae of rice hispa by Chrysonotomyia sp. was reported for the first time from the state and it thus could be exploited as an important biological tool under the sustainable approach for its integrated management.