Determining plant leafminer parasitoid interaction with special reference to gelechiid and agromyzid leafminers

Abstract

Leafminers of the family gelechiidae and agromyzidae are important polyphagous pests infesting agricultural, horticultural and ornamental crops. Among the hosts devasted by the leafminers, groundnut, tomato and chrysanthemum leafminers are the pests of major concern. Farmers heavily rely on insecticides for the management of leafminers which will not be feasible in a long run owing to insecticide associated drawbacks. Hence, biological control based on parasitoids may be a better alternative for ecofriendly management of pests. Success of any biological control programme, rely on the clear understanding of the relationship between plant, herbivores (direct defense) and their natural enemies (indirect defense), as well as the factors that can influence these interactions. Manipulation of these interactions in favour of natural enemies action will facilitate sustainable and ecofriendly management of leafminers. newlineIn this context, surveys were carried out for recording the damage potential of leafminers on groundnut, tomato and chrysanthemum and their associated parasitoids. Morphological and molecular confirmation of leafminers and their associated parasitoids were carried out. Efficacy of available and field collected predominant parasitoids of gelechiid (Aproaerema modicella Deventer and Tuta absoluta Meyrick) and agromyzid leafminers (Liriomyza sativae Blanchard) were test verified. Physiological and newline10 newline newlinebiochemical changes due to leafminer feeding, tritrophic interaction of leafminers and their parasitoids through GC-EAD and GC-MS analysis, impact of recommended neem based botanicals on the interaction of leafminers and their parasitoids under pot culture conditions were also studied. newlineSurveys were carried out to document the damage potential of leafminers and their associated parasitoids on groundnut, tomato and chrysanthemum during 2016 to 2018. Severe incidence of groundnut leafminer (GLM) was recorded at Pirankulam village (98.10 %) during 2016 to 2017 and at Alagapuri (98.45 %) village during 2017 to 20