Impact of pre-conditioned larval parasitoid, Goniozus nephantidis Muesback on coconut black headed caterpillar Opisina arenosella Walker Gurav S.S., Shinde V.V., Wankhede S.M., Khandekar R.G. AICRP(Palms), Regional Coconut Research Station, Bhatye, Ratnagiri – 425612, Maharashtra, India Online published on 30 November, 2019. Abstract The investigation carried out at Bio-control laboratory, RCRS, Bhatye, Dist. Ratnagiri with three treatments viz., pre-conditioned parasitoid, unconditioned parasitoid and control in ten replications during the year 2012–13 to 2014–15 revealed that the pre-conditioning of the parasitoid G. nephantidis with frass and damaged coconut leaves at the time of mass multiplication of the parasitoid in the laboratory had more impact on parasitization of coconut black headed caterpi llar in the field. The average number of parasi tized larvae/leaflet under pre-condi tioning of the parasitoid was 12.99, 11.96 and 11.46 compared 10.76, 8.49 and 6.84 with unconditioned parasitoids after fir st, second and third months, respectively. It is therefore recommended that the pre condi tioning of the parasitoid, Goniozus nephantidis with frass and damaged coconut leaves should be done while rearing the parasitoid in the laboratory for maximizing parasitization of coconut black headed caterpillar. Top Keywords Coconut, Black headed caterpillar, Opisina arenosella Walker, Goniozusnephantidis Muesebeck. Top |