Intraguild predation of Phenacoccus manihoti parasitoid Anagyrus lopezi by two mealybug predators, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri and Plesiochrysa ramburi
Muhammad Zainal Fanani(a*), Aunu Rauf(b), Nina Maryana(b), Ali Nurmansyah(b), Dadan Hindayana(b)

a) Study program of Agrotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Djuanda University,
Jagorawi Toll Rd No.1, Ciawi, Bogor Regency, West Java 16720
*muhammad.zainal[at]unida.ac.id
b) Study program of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, IPB University
Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Institut Pertanian Bogor. Jl. Meranti, Kampus Dramaga, Bogor 16680, West Java,Indonesia

Abstract

Anagyrus lopezi De Santis (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) is a specialist parasitoid was introduced to Indonesia in 2014 to control cassava mealybug, Phenacoccus manihoti. P. ramburi and C. montrouzieri are generalist predators associated with the mealybug. Intraguild predation is a crusial competition in an insect community. The objective study was to investigated interference of both predators on healthy mealybug (unparasitized) or mealybug that were parasitized by A. lopezi (mealybug which containing parasitoid larvae 1-, 3-, 8-, and 14-old day). Experiments were carried out in non-choice test (only healthy or parasitized mealybug of a specific parasitoid age) and choice test (healthy mealybug and parasitized mealybug of a specific parasitoid age) in laboratory. Both of predators able to fed on both healthy and parasitized mealybugs (1-, 3-, and 8-old day), but both predators discriminated against mealybug were parasitized 14 old days (hardened mummies). Interaction between parasitoid of A. lopezi and both predators was showed antagonistic interaction type. We recommend that A. lopezi can be released in field at the beginning of the time when the population of the mealybug is still low and could be continued with the release of mass predators w en the mealybug population is high.

Keywords: interactions, mealybug, parasitoid, predator

Topic: Integrated pest and disease management