Study of Life Table Parameters of Microterys nietneri on the Citrus Wax Scale Ceroplastes floridensis Under Laboratory Conditions

Abstract

This study was carried out at the Entomology Laboratory, Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, Latakia University, Syria, under controlled laboratory conditions during 2022, to evaluate the parasitism rates of the parasitoid Microterys nietneri on the citrus wax scale Ceroplastes floridensis using life tables, age stage, and bisexuality. Cucurbita moschata fruits were used as host plants for rearing this insect, collected from citrus trees as gravid females (infective stage). Results obtained showed that the highest net parasitism rate (C0) for the parasitoid was 12.03 host female/parasitoid female at 25°C, whereas the lowest value was 5.87 host female/parasitoid female at 30°C. The highest value of the finite parasitism rate (ω) was 0.11 host female/parasitoid female at 25°C and 0.09 host female/parasitoid female at 20°C and 30°C. The highest value of the parasitism rate associated with the age stage (cxj) for parasitoid female was 20.44 host female/parasitoid female at 25°C.

Keywords:

Life table, Ceroplastes floridensis, Microterys nietneri, laboratory conditions, parasitism rate, temperature.