PARASITISM BY METEORUS-RUBENS ON AGROTIS-IPSILON AS AFFECTED BY SUPPLEMENTARY FOOD AND KAIROMONE, FIELD STUDIES

Field experiments in clover field showed that releasing of 10 mated M. rubens females/m(2) increased parasitism among A. ipsilon larvae from 16.7% at 0 to 43,3% after 10 days. Also, releasing 10 females/m(2) af ter spraying 3% molasses in tomato field increased parasitism from 4% at 0-day to 27.5% after 10 days among A. ipsilon larvae. Spraying mola sses and kairomone together on maize plants, increased markedly the ra te of parasitism among S. cretica larvae comparing with parasitism obt ained when each of them was sprayed alone. The release of M. rubens in a rate of 10 females/m(2) after spraying molasses and kairomone induc ed a significant increase in the rate of parasitism among S. cretica l arvae after 10 and 15 days compared to releasing 3 or 4 females of the parasitoid. A significant increase in parasitism among S. cretica lar vae on tomato after 10 and 15 days was recorded when M. rubens was rel eased at the rates of 5 and 10 females/m(2), after spraying molasses a nd kairomone, compared to other treatments.