Selectivity assessment of two biorational insecticides, azadirachtin and pyriproxyfen, in comparison to a neonicotinoid, acetamiprid, on pupae and adults of a Neotropical strain Eretmocerus mundus Mercet
The fauna of the Encarsia and Eretmocerus species (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea:
Aphelinidae) from Arasbaran and its vicinity (Northwestern Iran) is studied
in this paper. A total of 16 Encarsia species, including E. acaudaleyrodis
Hayat, E. aleurochitonis (Mercet), E. aurantii (Howard), E. azimi Hayat, E.
berlesei (Howard), E. citrina (Craw), E. elegans (Masi), E. elongata
(Dozier), E. fasciata (Malenotti), E. formosa Gahan, E. inaron (Walker), E.
lounsburyi (Berlese and Paoli), E. lutea (Masi), E. luteola Howard, E. mineoi
Viggiani, E. perniciosi (Tower), and 4 Eretmocerus species (Eretmocerus
cadabae Viggiani, Eretmocerus mundus Mercet, Eretmocerus nikolskajae
Myartseva, Eretmocerus serius Silvestre) were collected.
Eretmocerus mundus Mercet is one of the key natural enemies of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius). In this study, the sublethal effects of LC<sub>25</sub> of imidacloprid and field-recommended concentration of buprofezin on the functional response of E. mundus to different densities of second instar B. tabaci nymphs were evaluated. The results revealed a type III functional response in the control and imidacloprid treatment. The type III functional response was altered into a type II by buprofezin. Although imidacloprid did not alter the type of functional response of E. mundus compared to the control, it negatively affected the handling time and maximum attack rate of the parasitoid. Therefore, the use of this insecticide should be evaluated carefully in IPM programs.
Effect of Some Aromatic Plant Extracts, Silica Nanoparticles and Imidacloprid on the Cotton Whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Genn.) and its Associated Parasitoid, Eretmocerus mundus Mercet on Tomato