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VOL. 10, ISSUE 4 (2025)
The roles of predators, parasitoids, and insecticides in controlling the diamondback moth
Authors
Amit Kumar Patel, Dr. R Nisha, Dr. Prem Shanker, Shalini Singh, Hassan Gabrallah Ismail Ali
Abstract
The diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella L.), a serious pest of
cruciferous crops such as cabbage, has evolved resistance to all pesticides used.
This necessitates further investigation into factors affecting its survival,
particularly the role of natural enemies. This study aimed to identify natural
enemies of P. xylostella and evaluate their effectiveness in biological
control (Talekar et al.,1992) [11]. Additionally, it sought
to develop sustainable pest management strategies that minimize reliance on
chemical insecticides while maintaining crop yields and profitability. Results
indicate that various predators in and around cabbage fields consume P.
xylostella eggs and larvae under laboratory conditions. The most efficient
predators included syrphid larvae and spiders from the families Linyphiidae and
Salticidae. Lycosid spiders and staphylinid beetles were among the most
numerous and effective predators, while sheet-weaving spiders, jumping spiders,
assassin bugs (Reduviidae), and damsel bugs (Nabidae) also showed promise in
suppressing P. xylostella numbers. Field experiments revealed that interactions
between flying and ground-dwelling natural enemies negatively impacted each
other (Cheng et al.,1992) [3]. Moreover, leaf damage was
found to be greater in insecticide-treated fields than in untreated ones due to
both insecticide resistance in P. xylostella and the detrimental effects
of insecticides on natural enemies. Another study investigated the combined
effects of parasitoids and biological insecticides (Bacillus thuringiensis, Bt)
on P. xylostella mortality, highlighting the need for integrated control
strategies. Findings suggest that sustainable pest management requires a
combination of natural enemy conservation and parasitoid promotion (Tabashnik et
al., 1994) [9] However, further research is necessary to clarify
the specific roles of different predator species.
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Pages:47-49
How to cite this article:
Amit Kumar Patel, Dr. R Nisha, Dr. Prem Shanker, Shalini Singh, Hassan Gabrallah Ismail Ali "The roles of predators, parasitoids, and insecticides in controlling the diamondback moth". International Journal of Entomology Research, Vol 10, Issue 4, 2025, Pages 47-49
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