Demographic Parameters of Chrysoperla carnea on the Sublethal Concentration of Endosulfan: Two-Sex Life Table

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the sublethal effects (LC₃₀) of endosulfan on Chrysoperla carnea adults as an efficient natural enemy against the flour moth Ephestia kuehniella Zell (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) under laboratory conditions: (25±2°C temperature, relative humidity of 60±5% relative humidity, and 16:8 hours (light: dark) photoperiod), in a growth chamber. The results obtained showed a significant decrease in the LC₃₀ concentration of Endosulfan during the biological life span of both sexes (male and female) of C. carnea compared to the control. The highest fecundity rate obtained for endosulfan treatment was 203.28 offspring/female compared to 316.31 offspring/female for the control treatment. The net reproduction rate (R₀) of females treated with endosulfan was 140.18 offspring/individual/generation and was significantly lower than that of the control-treated females (253.04 offspring/individual/generation). The mean time of one generation (T) varied from 43.12 days in the control treatment to 38.70 days in the LC₃₀ endosulfan treatment. Results obtained showed that the use of a sub-lethal concentration of endosulfan affects some biological parameters of the green lacewing predator C. carnea, which is useful information to consider when designing IPM programs for the flour moth.

Keywords:

Dynamic parameters, Chrysopidae, life history, sublethal concentration.