TY - GEN

T1 - Serological analysis of predators of Helicoverpa armigera Hubner (Lepidoptera

T2 - International Symposium on the Ecology of Agricultural Pests - Biochemical Approaches

AU - Sigsgaard, L

PY - 1996

Y1 - 1996

N2 - Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) is a serious pest in many regions of the Old World, including South India. Heavy reliance on chemical insecticides has led to high levels of resistance as well as environmental hazards. This has raised interest in alternative pest management approaches, especially control by natural enemies. While the role of parasitism has been relatively easy to document, evidence of predation has been primarily circumstantial or indirect, based largely on correlations between pest and predator population estimates. An objective of the present study has been to identify and begin to evaluate predators as potential biological control agents of H. armigera. Eggs and potential predators were censused in the field, and predators collected and frozen during the censuses were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using a monoclonal antibody for helioithine eggs. The ELISA data identified the following egg predators: Cheiracanthium inornatum O.P.-Cambridge (Araneae: Clubionidae), Menochilus sexmaculatus F. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), Ouius rantillus (Motschulsky) (Heteroptera: Anthochoridae), Formicomus sp. (Coleoptera: Anthicidae), and H. armigera larvae. The pattern of predation over the cropping period was established by associating data from the field sampling of eggs and predators with data from ELISA of the same predators. The present study illustrates the use of immunoassay of field-collected predators in conjunction with pest and predator population estimates in evaluating the role of predators as biological control agents.

AB - Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) is a serious pest in many regions of the Old World, including South India. Heavy reliance on chemical insecticides has led to high levels of resistance as well as environmental hazards. This has raised interest in alternative pest management approaches, especially control by natural enemies. While the role of parasitism has been relatively easy to document, evidence of predation has been primarily circumstantial or indirect, based largely on correlations between pest and predator population estimates. An objective of the present study has been to identify and begin to evaluate predators as potential biological control agents of H. armigera. Eggs and potential predators were censused in the field, and predators collected and frozen during the censuses were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using a monoclonal antibody for helioithine eggs. The ELISA data identified the following egg predators: Cheiracanthium inornatum O.P.-Cambridge (Araneae: Clubionidae), Menochilus sexmaculatus F. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), Ouius rantillus (Motschulsky) (Heteroptera: Anthochoridae), Formicomus sp. (Coleoptera: Anthicidae), and H. armigera larvae. The pattern of predation over the cropping period was established by associating data from the field sampling of eggs and predators with data from ELISA of the same predators. The present study illustrates the use of immunoassay of field-collected predators in conjunction with pest and predator population estimates in evaluating the role of predators as biological control agents.

M3 - Article in proceedings

SN - 0-412-62190-8

T3 - SYSTEMATICS ASSOCIATION SPECIAL VOLUMES

SP - 367

EP - 381

BT - ECOLOGY OF AGRICULTURAL PESTS

A2 - Symondson, WOC

A2 - Liddell, JE

PB - CHAPMAN & HALL

Y2 - 21 September 1994 through 23 September 1994

ER -