Potential role of Aphidius ervi in protecting greenhouse bell pepper cultures from Myzus persicae aphids in India

Abstract

Many aphids such as Myzus persicae are major agricultural pest against which sustainable solutions must be developed. In the present study, we evaluated the role of Aphidius ervi (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), an aphid parasitoid, to control M. persicae in bell pepper cultures in greenhouses. Parasitoids were released at one occasion in a greenhouse and M. persicae infested plants were followed before and after parasitoid introduction. We evaluated aphid numbers and parasitism rates at two different controlled temperatures (22{degrees}C and 25{degrees}C), and we measured diapause levels in released parasitoids. Aphidius ervi showed parasitism rates of 10.9{+/-}1.2% and 9.1{+/-}1.6%, at 21 and 25{degrees}C, respectively. The strain of parasitoids we used was not entering diapause under any temperature condition. Therefore, we suggest that A. ervi can be further investigated as a protection in greenhouse environments in India. More releases may be necessary to achieve a good protection.