Biological control of mustard aphid, Lipaphis erysimi (Kaltenbach, 1843) through seven-spotted ladybird beetle, Coccinella septempunctata (Linnaeus, 1758) under laboratory conditions

Abstract

The research study was conducted at the Entomology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, SALU, Khairpur during, 2017-18. Among biological parameters such as; fecundity, fertility, and egg hatching % of a predator, seven-spotted ladybird beetle were 143, 165 and 86, respectively. Whereas; the results of the biology of seven-spotted ladybird beetle show that the first larval stage took up (4.08) days to develop into a second stage that took up (5.32) days, the third stage (6.80) days and the fourth stage (8.00) days to convert into pupae (6.04) days. The overall female days were observed up to (43.76) and the male (39.36). After hatching, the 1st larval stage consumed up to (2) aphids whereas; the 2nd stage (19), the 3rd larval stage (34) with the 4th stage (48) per day, later on, these larvae were converted into pupal stage thus, the adult stage consumed (40) aphids at per day. The ANOVA showed considerable differences in feeding efficiency of Seven-spotted ladybird beetle on aphids under laboratory conditions at (P<0.05). It is concluded; the ladybird beetle, C. septempunctata is well known as a good biological control agent because of predation in nature that has a short life cycle which is also a good character. Thus, the above-mentioned species can be fruitfully used to minimize the sucking insect pests under mustard crop.