BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF SUGARCANE PINK STEM BORERS, SESAMIA SPP. (LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUIDAE) BY THE PARASITOID WASP PLATYTELENOMUS HYLAS (HYMENOPTERA: SCELIONIDAE) IN IRAN

摘要

THE sugarcane stem borers, Sesamia cretica and S. nonagrioides (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), are the most important pests of sugarcane and cause considerable damage in Khuzestan province (southwestern Iran). The most important Iranian natural enemy of Sesamia spp. is the egg parasitoid wasp Platytelenomus hylas (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae). The wasp is well adapted to the Khuzestan climate, and has been used in a mass-rearing and inoculative release program since 1998. Our monitoring shows the parasitism of stem borer eggs from 1999 to 2003 in Amir Kabir agro-industry was 53.7%, 60.3%, 77.2%, 87.9% and 87.2%, respectively, with a reduction in damage levels from 23.5% bored internodes in 1998 to 11.6% in 2003. Based on these results, we conclude that the parasitoid wasp has established in the area and provides useful control of the pests.