Abstract
The mycophagous insect Halyzia tschitscherini Semenor is a potential biocontrol agent of Powdery Mildew, Phyllactinea corylea (Pess.) in Mulberry. The present study covers the bionomics of H. tschitscherini and its feeding behavior on Powdery Mildew infected Mulberry leaves. The eggs are laid in clusters of 5-24 with an average of 15.75±5.40 eggs per leaf on the abaxial surface of infected leaves. The incubation period was recorded 4.46±0.50.The larval span of first, second, third and fourth instars was recorded as 2.54±0.50, 3.91±0.80, 4.68±0.71, 5.70±0.70 days respectively and total larval span about 16.83 days and for entire life cycle in 30 days. The measurements in mean length and breadth of different stages of H. tschitscherini viz. eggs (1.69 ± 0.04 & 0.71± 0.02), first instar (1.92 ± 0.15 & 0.68 ± 0.02), second instar (3.97 ± 0.32 & 0.82 ± 0.12), third instar (5.50 ±0.65 & 1.26 ±0.14), fourth instars (8.21±0.74 & 1.93±0.20) pupa (5.22±0.23 &3.35±0.23) and male (5.30±0.72 & 3.35±0.41) and female adults were 5.83±0.20 &3.59± 0.24, respectively. The grubs feed only on conidia during first instar, on conidia and conidiophores during second instar, and also on parts of mycelia during third instar. The final instar grub feed on entire aerial mycelia mass leaving only stomatopodia and hyphal remnants. Pupation is for 9-10 days. Adults also feed voraciously on the fungal mass. Field observations indicated a drastic fall in the incidence of Powdery Mildew disease in Mulberry even in the usual peak disease period, with the increased population of H. tschitscherini in the Mulberry garden.
Keywords
Halyzia tschitscherini, Bionomics, Feeding Behaviour, Mulberry, Powdery Mildew, Kashmir, Temperate region Mycophagous Coccinellid