Biodiversity of major parasitoids associated with stem borers in rice ecosystem of South Kerala, India

Rice is the staple food crop and is grown extensively in India. Insect-pests take a heavy toll of rice crop, rice belt of Kerala resulting in losses in grain yields. Insect specific predators and parasites used in biological control acts as natural biological control agents for these insect pests in the region. Keeping in view the above facts, surveys was conducted in Kharif season of 2018 to study natural enemy diversity (Parasitoids) prevalent in rice in wetland rice ecosystem of South Kerala at three locations (Thiruvananthapuram, Onattukara and Kuttanad). The results revealed that parasitoids like Cotesia sp, Isotima sp. and Tetrastichus sp. were found to be the major natural enemies in wetland rice ecosystem of South Kerala. Among the three locations, the highest population of Parasitoids viz. Cotesia sp, Isotima sp. and Tetrastichus sp were recorded in Kuttanad and lowest were recorded in Onattukara.