Using Trichogramma Westwood (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) for insect pest biological control in cotton crops: an Australian perspective

摘要: Trichogramma Westwood egg parasitoids alone generally fail to suppress heliothine pests when released in established cotton-growing regions. Factors hindering their success include indiscriminate use of detrimental insecticides, compensation for minimal pest larval hatch due activity via reduced cannibalism or mortality general, singly laid eggs avoiding detection and asynchronous development benefiting host over parasitoid. Yet, despite these limitations, relatively large pretiosum Riley populations pervade effectively Helicoverpa (Hardwick) Australian Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner)-transgenic cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., crops, especially the Ord River Irrigation Area (ORIA) tropical northern Australia, where impact on potentially resistant species, armigera (Hubner), is considered integral local insecticide resistance management (IRM) strategy continued, sustainable Bt-transgenic cotton production. When devoid conventional warm stable conditions early dry season winter grown ORIA crops are conducive proliferation biological control appears effective. Further, there considerable scope improve Trichogramma's potential, both regions, habitat manipulation. It proposed that may prove equally effective developing agricultural regions monsoonal environmental constraints survival, those other natural enemies, require consideration prior successful application programs.