Parasitic efficiency of different egg parasitoids against invasive fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith)

A study was conducted to examine the parasitic efficiency of different egg parasitoids viz., Trichogramma chilonis Ishii, Trichogramma pretiosum Riley (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) and Telenomus remus Nixon (Hymenoptera: Scelionadae) of Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Corcyra cephalonica Stainton (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), respectively under the laboratory condition at 28 ± 3°C. The investigation showed that T. chilonis displayed a parasitic efficiency ranging from 85 to 87 per cent, T. pretiosum from 80 to 89 per cent, and T. remus from 7 to 90 per cent. Both host species were accepted for parasitization, but C. cephalonica was identified as more suitable for the development of T. chilonis and T. pretiosum, while S. frugiperda was deemed the most suitable host for rearing T. remus. These findings contribute valuable insights into the host preferences and parasitic efficiencies of these parasitoids, essential information for potential applications in biological control strategies against agricultural pests.