Life table parameters of parasitoid wasp Eretmocerus delhiensis Mani on greenhouse whitefly Trialeurodes vaporariorum Westwood

The greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum Westwood (Hem.: Aleyrodidae) is a polyphagous and key pest that causes damaging to wide range of crops. The parasitoid wasp, Eretmocerus delhiensis Mani (Hym.: Aphelinidae) is a syn-ovigenic and thelytokous species that parasitizing greenhouse whitefly nymphs. In order to evaluation parasitoid wasp, Eretmocerus delhiensis Mani (Hym.: Aphelinidae) in control of greenhouse whitefly demography parameters of E. delhiensis on greenhouse whitefly on tomato cultivar Super-Chief at temperature 25±1°C, 65±5 % RH and a photoperiod 16:8 h (L: D) in growth chamber were studied. For calculation of population growth parameters Age- Stage, Two-Sex Life table was used. The result showed that oviposition period, longevity and fecundity for this parasitoid were 4.2±0.12 d, 20.74±0.5 d and 17.43±0.17 offspring respectively. Based on results of the life table, demography parameters consisting of net reproductive rate (R0), gross reproductive rate (GRR) were 12.11±0.94 and 31.43±1.85 offspring per female, intrinsic rate of increase (rm), finite rate of increase (λ), were 0.16±0.0059 d-1, 1.17±.007 d-1 and mean generation time (T) and doubling time (DT) of E. delhiensis were 15.66 d and 4.354/d respectively. Based on our results, this parasitoid is a promising candidate for greenhouse whitefly control.