FIELD PARASITISATION RATE OF LARVAL AND PUPAL PARASITOIDS OF DIAMONDBACK MOTH AVAILABLE AT SABOUR BIHAR INDIA

Crucifer vegetables play a vital role in global nutrition, offering essential vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds with significant therapeutic benefits, such as anti-cancer, antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidative properties.India is a major producer of cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli, second only to China.However, these crops face severe pest challenges, notably from the diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella L.), the most destructive pest worldwide.P. xylostella causes extensive damage to crucifers, leading to billions of dollars in losses and costing approximately $4-5 billion annually for its management.This pest's destructive capacity is exacerbated by its resistance to insecticides and the scarcity of natural enemies.The present investigation conducted at Bihar Agricultural College Sabour aimed to evaluate the natural parasitism rates of P. xylostella by various larval and pupal parasitoids.Weekly collections of larvae and pupae were made, and parasitoids were reared under controlled laboratory conditions.Several larval parasitoids, including Cotesia vestalis, Diadegma semiclausum, D. fenestrale, D. insulare and Microplitis plutellae, were identified, with the total natural parasitism rate reaching 28.17%.Pupal parasitoids, such as Oomyzus sokolowskii, Brachymeria exacarinata and Diadromus collaris, contributed to a natural parasitism rate of 16.60%.The findings emphasize the critical role of hymenopteran parasitoids in regulating P. xylostella populations and reinforce the importance of biological control in integrated pest management (IPM) programs for crucifer crops.These results align with previous studies and underscore the need for continued research into sustainable pest management strategies.