Laboratory studies were carried out to compare the toxicity of the chloronicotinyl insecticide, imidacloprid on parasitoids. The studies took place at the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore from 2006–2007. Imidacloprid was tested against three beneficial insects viz., an egg parasitoid, egg larval parasitoid and a larval parasitoid representing two families of Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae (Trichogramma chilonis Ishii) and Braconidae (Chelonus blackburni Cameron; Bracon hebetor Say) that attack insect pests of cotton. The toxicity of imidacloprid was evaluated by treating the parasitized eggs using an atomizer in the case of T. chilonis and glass scintillation vial residue bioassay method for the adults of C. blackburni and B. hebetor. The toxicity of imidacloprid to parasitoids was compared with another neonicotinoid, named thiamethoxam, and a standard check, methyl demeton. Imidacloprid 17.8 SL did not cause any adverse effects on the adult emergence and parasitization of T. chilonis. At the recommended dose of imidacloprid [25 g active substance (a.s.)/ha], 90.67 and 85.32 per cent adult emergence and parasitization was recorded, respectively. The recommended dose of imidacloprid caused 56 per cent mortality and was found to have moderate impact on the adults of C. blackburni. On the other hand, it was found to be toxic to the parasitoid B. hebetor, causing 70 per cent mortality at 48 hours after treatment (HAT). The data presented here will provide pest managers with specific information on the compatibility of selected insecticides with natural enemies attacking pests of cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L.
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