Molecular Characterization and Behavioural Manipulation of Natural Enemies of Economically Valuable Solanaceous Crops for Eco Friendly Pest Management

Abstract

Three major Solanaceous vegetable crops i.e., brinjal, chilli and tomato share ~20.23% of the total vegetable production in India. However, losses to these crops by insect infestations are too high and varies in the range of ~40-90%, where Lepidopterans are considered most causative arthropods. To cope up with the current demand to feed one and all, farmers use harmful inorganic pesticides to protect crop yield. Conversely, these chemicals have conjoint atrocities for the environment and humankind. Their catastrophic impact can be narrowed down by employing eco-friendly and self-sustainable pest mitigation approaches. Thus, agriculturists around the world are devising integrated pest management (IPM) strategies to abridge pesticide usage without compromising with the yield and quality of the harvest. Present study aimed to find the impact of allelochemicals derived from (i) larval body wash of Leucinodes orbonalis Guenee and (ii) leaf extracts of brinjal (Solanum melongena L.), chilli (Capsicum annum L.) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) on (iii) behavioural changes in orientation and parasitization potential of three targeted Trichogrammatids i.e., Trichogramma chilonis Ishii, Trichogramma japonicum Ashmead and Trichogramma pretiosum Riley, (iv) to identify the favourable chemical compounds present in these crude extracts and (v) to correctly differentiate the Trichogramma spp. employed in interaction analysis utilizing potential molecular genetic marker i.e., nuclear ribosomal DNA non-coding internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2) region. Tritrophic interaction mechanism and natural biological control is something that mother nature created to maintain a balance in the agroecosystem, but with all alternations tried by humans, it is high time to reciprocate. The findings from the current research work will encourage the agriculturists globally to switch to eco-friendly and self-sustainable farming practices.