Selected Plants Extracts as Control Agents of Braconid sp. Corcyra cephalonica Stn. is used as a fastidious host in the production of Trichogramma sp. It is a stored grain pest with the common name rice grain moth which can be found in corn/rice mills. It is easy to handle and can be mass produced in the laboratory. The mass production of Trichogramma sp., a biological control agent of lepidopterous pests is dependent on the abundance of Corcyra cephalonica Stn.
The eggs of Corcyra cephalonica Stn. are used to mass produce Trichogramma sp., but the Corcyra cephalonica Stn. which serves as the host of Trichogramma sp. for its production are being attacked by Braconid sp. This study was conducted to determine the effectivity of selected plant extract such as: Lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus), Cobra-cobra (Ipomea sp.), Cogon (Imperata cylindrica), and Makabuhay (Tinospora rumphii Boerl) as control agents of Braconid sp., a larva parasitoid of Corcyra cephalonica Stn. Ten Braconids were placed in each of the 25 test tubes containing 30 grams of corn meal. Cheese cloth was used as cover for each of the test tubes. Extracts were prepared by disinfecting the leaves with 1% sodium hypochlorite NaOCl) then rinsed with distilled water three times. Leaves were pounded using mortar and pestle. The extracts were filtered using filter paper and placed in a sprayer. Two ml of extracts was sprayed in every test tube and observed for 24 hours. Analysis of variance showed significant results. This proves that the extracts have the potential to control Braconid sp., the parasitoid of Corcyra cephalonica Stn.
Materials & Equipment
Further clarification of the procedures and results should be directed to the researchers and adviser.
Researchers:
Luiji John Carlo Miravalles Suarez
Cindy Camporazo Villaseñor
Rafael Mariño Frias
Adviser:
Doña Hortencia Salas Benedicto National High School
Negros Occidental