Do Size and Age of Female Trichopria Sp. Influence Longevity, Reproductive Performance ... 41
of Studies (DOS) in Sericulture Science, Univer-
sity of Mysore, Manasagangothri, Mysore. The
maggots were kept in a single layer in a perforat-
ed tray that was placed over a non-perforated tray
in such a way so as to create some space between
the two trays. This allowed the healthy maggots
to pass through the perforations and pupate in the
lower tray. The maggots pupated in about 24 h.
Parasitoid Culture
Nucleus cultures of the parasitoid were ob-
tained from the Central Sericulture Training and
Research Institute (CSTRI), Mysore. They were
maintained at 23–28 °C and 60–80 % RH by
feeding 30 % honey.
The impact of the female Trichopria sp. on
its progeny production was assessed by allow-
ing 2-day-old big and small parasitoid females to
parasitize the 3-day puparia of E. bombycis at a
ratio of 1:4. The influence of parasitoid age on
reproductive efficiency was evaluated by offer-
ing 3 day-old puparia of E. bombycis to 1–8 day-
old Trichopria sp females at 4:1. The parameters
considered for the purpose included the number
of host puparia parasitized, parasitoid develop-
mental duration, progeny production, and sex
ratio. To record the effect of body size on the
longevity of the adult females of the parasitoid,
they were categorized into big and small based
on body length using an ocular micrometer and
only those exhibiting significant variation in
body length were considered for the study. Para-
sitoid females of both size were fed 30 % honey
ad libitum to record the longevity. The data were
analyzed statistically using ANOVA followed by
Duncan’s multiple range test (DMRT) with SPSS
ver. 10.00 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA), and
the accepted level of significance was 5 %.Results and Discussion
Significantly more number ( P < 0.01) of host
puparia (3.00 ± 0.00) was parasitized by big
parasitoid females compared to small females
(2.10 ± 0.31). While producing the progenies,
the parasitoid females of either size took iden-
tical duration (2.30 ± 0.15 days) for completing
the life cycle. With regard to male, female, and
total progeny production by each of the females,
the values were significantly superior ( P < 0.01)
with big females (56.00 ± 0.94, 233.40 ± 1.07,
and 288.40 ± 1.35, respectively) to small females
(36.60 ± 1.40, 122.70 ± 0.89, and 159.30 ± 1.70,
respectively). However, the progeny sex ratio
(number of females/male) from big (3.65 ± 0.37)
and small females (3.37 ± 0.12) remained statisti-
cally identical (Table 1 ). In so far as the longevity
of adult females was concerned (Fig. 1 ), signifi-
cantly longer ( P < 0.01) survival of 12.31 ± 0.34Table 1 Impact of age of Trichopria sp. on reproductive efficiency
Parasitoid
age (days)
No. of puparia
parasitized@Developmental
duration (days)Progeny production (no.) Sex ratio
Male Female Total (♀/♂)
1 2.00 ± 0.00 22.20 ± 0.13 81.00 ± 1.12bc 123.80 ± 1.13a 204.80 ± 1.61ab 1.51 ± 0.02a
2 2.00 ± 0.00 22.30 ± 0.15 91.81 ± 1.15a 128.40 ± 1.27a 222.20 ± 1.65a 1.40 ± 0.03b
3 1.90 ± 0.10 22.40 ± 0.16 81.10 ± 4.82bc 107.20 ± 5.76b 187.50 ± 9.90bc 1.33 ± 0.04b
4 2.00 ± 0.00 22.30 ± 0.15 88.00 ± 1.15a 94.80 ± 1.17c 180.00 ± 1.66cd 1.10 ± 0.02c
5 1.90 ± 0.10 22.30 ± 0.15 87.50 ± 4.50a 94.30 ± 4.74c 182.10 ± 9.18cd 1.09 ± 0.03c
6 1.90 ± 0.00 22.30 ± 0.15 87.50 ± 4.50a 94.30 ± 4.74c 182.10 ± 1.18cd 1.09 ± 0.03c
7 2.00 ± 0.00 22.40 ± 0.16 67.80 ± 1.57e 92.10 ± 5.19c 159.90 ± 1.25e 1.36 ± 0.05b
8 1.90 ± 0.10 22.40 ± 0.16 74.80 ± 4.15d 87.30 ± 5.20c 162.10 ± 9.05de 1.16 ± 0.04c
F test NS NS
Data are the means of 10 replications (mean ± SE)
Mean values followed by the same superscript in columns are not significantly different (P > 0.05)
NS nonsignificant
*Significant at 1 %