INTRODUCTIONSpodoptera spp. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) are the common pest of Indonesia including Spodoptera litura and S. exigua (Kalshoven, 1981). Spodoptera litura is the most voracious among the genus of Spodopotera which is commonly found in leguminous plants (Tengkano & Suharsono, 2005) and S. exigua is commonly found in onion and other 170 plant species (Zhang, Huai, Helen, & Wang, 2011). In the meantime, Spodoptera frugiperda is a newly reported pest species of Indonesia in 2019.

The objective of this research is to study the effectiveness of T. remus as biocontrol agent for S. exigua. The study was conducted by releasing a set of T. remus females on potted onion plants that have been attacked by S. exigua. Three different parasitism level was artificially created by releasing different numbers of females: low rate parasitism (release of 4 adult females), moderate parasitism (7 females) and high parasitism level (11 females). The result of this study showed that T. remus is effective to control S. exigua population. Up to 48.2% of S. exigua. population was able to be suppressed by the high parasitism level. Rate of parasitisation was more when more adult female T. remus was released. Release of 11 adult female of T. remus can increase the population level of the parasitoid up to 24.1 times than the initial population. This express that T. remus is a mortality factor which can regulate the population of S. exigua. However, the succesfull parasitisation of T. remus is also dependent on environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, food, and host suitability.

Effect of host-larval diet on the host acceptance and host suitability of the egg parasitoid Telenomus remus Nixon (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) on Spodoptera frugiperda J. E. Smith (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). The life history of parasitoids is an important factor that can determine their ability to attack a host. The type of food consumed by the host can affect the ability of parasitoids such as host searching behavior, host suitability and host acceptance. In this research, we evaluate the effect of the S. frugiperda larvae diet on its suitability of the eggs produced by the adults for the egg parasitoid Telenomus remus. The research was studied on two types of egg masses of S. frugiperda that obtained from the moths that fed with natural or artificial diet during their larval stages. Parasitoid was reared from both types of hosts. An egg mass consisting of 50 S. frugiperda eggs from both types of hosts was exposed to one egg parasitoid female for 24 hours. S. frugiperda eggs then were reared until the parasitoid adult emerged. Each experiment was repeated 20 times. Host acceptance was observed through the host parasitism rate and its parasitization. Meanwhile, the host suitability was observed through the sex ratio of the emerging parasitoids. The results showed that S. frugiperda eggs reared using artificial diet had a higher parasitism rate (99.33%) than those of natural diet (82.53%). In contrast, the level of parasitization of S. frugiperda eggs reared using natural diet was higher (78.30%) than those of artificial diet (48.34%) because the number of emerging T. remus from S. frugiperda eggs reared using natural diet was also higher than those of artificial diet. However, the sex ratio (F:M) of emerging T. remus from S. frugiperda eggs reared using both of diet was female biased.

Oxygen is one of the factors causing the food product damage. Therefore, vacuum packaging or modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) is an effective solution offered. However, there is always a risk of leakage in the package especially in the packaging process, in the distribution process, and by the insect or rodent damage. Therefore, an oxygen indicator that helps retailers and consumers to detect leaks and to prevent them from buying leaking products is created. Its working principle is to show a color change that reflects changes in the composition of the gas. The use of oxygen indicators is beneficial not only for consumers but also for manufacturers of products who use this indicator for loyal consumers to maintain the consumer credibility with their products. Furthermore, technological advances encourage researchers to improve several important aspects of oxygen indicators such as product safety application, product cost retrenchment, ease of manufacture, and environmental friendliness. This article reviews the development of oxygen indicators and the advantages and disadvantages of each type of oxygen indicator and provides information for researchers and the MAP industry on the types of oxygen indicators that are well developed in the future.

A good rearing method is one of the keys in successful biological control practices. This also applied on biological control of Spodoptera litura Fabricius (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). The objective of this study is to observe the development of Microplitis (Snellanius) manilae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) on S. litura which cultured in the natural diet (host plants) and the artificial diet. This study was conducted with two treatments which were larvae of S. litura fed with natural diet and artificial diet. Each treatment has 10 individuals as replicates. Each larva was placed in a different petri dish along with the adult of M. manilae. The larvae were exposed to adult parasitoids of M. manilae for 24 hr. Then, the larvae were reared until the parasitoid emerged. The results showed that the highest number of parasitization was found in the hosts which were fed on an artificial diet. Whereas, the highest number of parasitoids emerged were found from the hosts which provided with a natural diet. On both diets, more female parasitoids emerged than males. The difference in nutrient content given to host larvae plays a major role in affecting the number of hosts parasitization, the number of emerged parasitoids and the sex ratio of parasitoids.