Harnessing Bracon hebetor for effective biological control of date palm pests case of Biskra, Algeria

This study investigates the parasitic complex of Ectomyelois ceratoniae, focusing on the native parasitoid Bracon hebetor Say, an ectoparasitoid of lepidopteran larvae, which serves as a crucial natural control agent. We aimed to examine several biological parameters of B. hebetor when parasitizing E. ceratoniae caterpillars. Using three petri dishes containing 25, 50, and 100 E. ceratoniae caterpillars, respectively, we observed the parasitoid's performance. Our findings reveal that B. hebetor paralyzes 100% of the caterpillars within 45 hours for the groups of 25 and 50 caterpillars, and within 51 hours for the group of 100 caterpillars. The number of eggs laid and hatched by B. hebetor increased with the number of caterpillars. Specifically, eggs were deposited on 24.34%, 39.48%, and 35.10% of the caterpillars in the 25, 50, and 100 caterpillar groups, respectively. The average life cycle of B. hebetor was consistent across all groups, averaging 14 days. These results suggest that B. hebetor is an effective biological control agent against E. ceratoniae, a significant pest of date palms, offering a promising alternative to chemical pesticides for sustainable pest management in date palm cultivation.