http://oar.icrisat.org/id/eprint/11294 2019-09-09T06:40:47Z info:eu-repo/semantics/descriptiveMetadata http://oar.icrisat.org/11294/ Towards development of a parasitoid cottage industry of the parasitoid wasp Habrobracon hebetor (say): optimum rearing and releases conditions for successful biological control of the millet head miner Heliocheilus albipunctella (De Joannis) in the Sahel Kabore, A Ba, M N Dabire-Binso, C Sanon, A Pearl Millet Entomology Sahel Region Augmentative biological control by the parasitoid Habrobracon hebetor (Say) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is the most promising strategy to control millet head miner, Heliocheilus albipunctella (De Joannis) a major insect pest of pearl millet in the Sahel. As H. hebetor survival is somehow challenging during the nine month long off-season when the host, H. albipunctella is in diapause, there needs to be a sufficient supply of parasitoids for fresh release each year. Therefore, the aim of this study was to establish a small-scale parasitoid rearing process adjusted to the Sahel conditions that can be scaled-up as necessary. We conducted experiments to fine-tune and standardize the rearing technique of H. hebetor for cottage industrial use. The results showed that parasitoids fed with 30% honey solution and supplied daily with one late-larval-stage Corcyra cephalonica Stainton (Lepidotera, Pyralidae) produced highest number of progeny. The optimal times for mating and egg fertilization, was achieved when a male and female pair was confined for 24 h in a 30-cc vial. Our findings indicated that, compared with the conventional rearing method -2 females supplied once with 25 C. cephalonica larvae-, this new method resulted in 14-times greater parasitoid production. Furthermore parasitoid female can be stored for up to three weeks at fluctuating 23–32°C temperature and 25%–80% relative humidity for numbers accumulations prior to on-farm augmentative releases without altering its fitness. Springer 2019 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://oar.icrisat.org/11294/1/kabore2019.pdf Kabore, A and Ba, M N and Dabire-Binso, C and Sanon, A (2019) Towards development of a parasitoid cottage industry of the parasitoid wasp Habrobracon hebetor (say): optimum rearing and releases conditions for successful biological control of the millet head miner Heliocheilus albipunctella (De Joannis) in the Sahel. International Journal of Tropical Insect Science (TSI). pp. 1-9. ISSN 1742-7584 https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-019-00005-w 10.1007/s42690-019-00005-w info:eu-repo/semantics/objectFile info:eu-repo/semantics/humanStartPage