Abstract:
The current study described the life table characteristics of the predatory bug Orius laevigatus preying upon the tobacco whitefly Bemisia tabaci infestation offered on eggplant leaf discs under laboratory constant conditions of 26±1°C, 75±5% R.H. and 16L: 8D photoperiod regime. Average life table parameters of O. laevigatus were calculated for two successive generations as: intrinsic rate of increase (Rm): 0.038; gross reproductive rate (GRR): 18 insect/female/generation, net reproduction rate (Ro): 2.6 females/female/generation, finite rate of increase (λ): 1.038 females/female/day, mean generation time (T): 25.2 days, and doubling time (DT): 18.2 days. Those parameters indicated that O. laevigatus has the potential to be used as predator against B. tabaci and that this predator would likely be able to overcome populations of B. tabaci on eggplant plantation in greenhouses under the conditions similar to those used in this study. This appears to be the first publication recording the life table parameters of O. laevigatus when used as natural enemy against B. tabaci infestation of eggplant.
