Effect of botanical insecticides, Dayabon® and Palizin® against Aphis fabae Scopoli (Hem.: Aphididae) and functional response of its parasitoid wasp, Lysiphlebus fabarum (Marshall) (Hym.: Braconidae)

Botanical insecticides are one of the tools in integrated pest management programs. It is necessary to investigate their effect against pests and their side effects on natural enemies of pests. In this research, toxicity of two botanical insecticides, Dayabon® and Palizin® were investigated against third instar nymphs and adults of Aphis fabae Scopoli as well as pupal stage of its parasitoid wasp, Lysiphlebus fabarum (Marshall). Furthermore, effect of the insecticides were evaluated on the functional response of L. fabarum. All experiments were done under laboratory conditions. These insecticides were highly toxic for third instar nymphs of A. fabae with LC50 values of 750.2 and 636.3 ppm for Dayabon® and Palizin®, respectively. The LC50 values of the insecticides were 1302.04 and 1062.8 ppm, respectively, for adults. Mean adult parasitoid wasp emergence were 86.08 ± 3.2, 89.74 ± 2.55 and 91.33 ± 2.03%, respectively, for Dayabon®, Palizin® and control treatments at pupal stage. The insecticides had no adverse effect on fecundity of emerged females. According to International Organization for Biological Control, Dayabon® and Palizin® were classified as harmless insecticides. The results revealed the type II functional response in all experiments. Attack rate (a) of L. fabarum in control, Dayabon® and Palizin® treatments were 0.075, 0.050 and 0.056 h-1 and handling time (Th) were 0.459, 0.515 and 0.482 h, respectively. There were no differences in the functional response parameters between the treatments. These results suggest that Dayabon® and Palizin® are suitable candidates for control of A.fabae in combination with L. fabarum.