Journal of Taiwan Agricultural Research

Author:Sheng-Feng Lin, Yi-Syuan Lee, Chia-Lin Liu, Man-Miao Yang, and Hsiou-Hua Hao*

Abstract:

    Biological control is considered as a high specific and low contaminated way to control pests, especially for those preform cryptic symptom or concealed feeding habits, such as borers and gall inducers. In the present study, ovipositional strategy, release experiment, colored sticky-traps and circadian rhythm of parasitic Aprostocetus species are studied to evaluate the effectiveness of biocontrol on mango pest cecidomyiid Procontarinia robusta Li, Bu & Zhang. Our results show that sex ratio (female/male) of Aprostocetus sp. is 0.72, arrhenotoky is one of reproductive mode of Aprostocetus sp., and parasitism could be increased via enemy releasing. It indicated that Aprostocetus sp. may be considered as a good biocontrol agent. The attractiveness of Aprostocetus sp. on yellow sticky paper was higher than on others. However, the attractiveness of Aprostocetus sp. on light green sticky paper was the highest with black spot that mimic the cecidomyiids gall. Results also showed that the attractiveness of Aprostocetus sp. was affected not only by color but also by existence of gall. In circadian rhythm survey, attraction number of Aprostocetus sp. was not significantly different between time in 10:00–12:00 and 12:00–14:00. Nevertheless, attraction numbers of Aprostocetus sp. in these two periods were significantly higher than other three periods, 8:00–10:00, 14:00–16:00 and 16:00–18:00. Based on the results, the major parasitic period of Aprostocetus sp. was in 10:00–14:00 every day. Accordingly, it is recommended to avoid spraying pesticide during this period. As such, the conflict between chemical control and biological control could be substantially reduced.

Key words:Mangifera indica L., Monitoring, Sticky traps, Natural enemy, Taiwan

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