PARASITIC ACTIVITY OF TWO PARASITOIDS PHANEROTOMA FLAVITESTACEA FISHER AND BRACON HEBETOR SAY (HYMENOPTERA: BRACONIDAE) ON THE DATE MOTH APOMYELOIS CERATONIAE ZELLER (LEPIDOPTERA: PYRALIDAE)

Abstract

The parasitic activity of the two parasitoids Bracon hebetor and Phanerotoma flavitestacea significantly affects the biological development of date moth Apomyelois ceratoniae. The results showed the females fecundity of both parasitoids is positively correlated with the number of host individuals (Phanerotoma: r = 0.46 and p <0.0001, Bracon: r = 0.7 and p = 0.001). Also, a significant difference is recorded between parasitized eggs and larvae and the number of emergences of adults of both auxiliaries with p = 0.001. In addition, the results revealed a very low rate of parasitism in P. flavitestacea compared to B. Hebetor with respectively 57.83% and 100%. Therefore, this study can enable us to valorize the use of these indigenous auxiliaries by combining the parasitic activity of egg-larval parasitoid with that of larvae, as a complementary action able to improve the success of biological control programs against the date moth.