Anagrus nilaparvatae is a potential egg parasitoid to control the rice brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens Stal.) The parasitoid needs to consume suitable food to maximize its biotic potential and parasitizing ability. This study was aimed to determine the benefits provided by the presence of Turnera subulata and Cosmos sulphureus flowers on the life of A. nilaparvatae. This study consisted of two experiments. The first experiment was designed to determine the effects of the tested flowers on the parasitism and hatching rate of A. nilaparvatae on N. lugens eggs. The flowers were set inside the rearing cage of parasitoid in the presence of N. lugens eggs in Ciherang rice seedlings. In addition, honey and the control (no feed added) were included into the treatments, totalling of four treatments. The parasitism rate of A. nilaparvatae fed with the flowers or honey was similar to those unfed. However, the hatching rate of A. nilaparvatae was much higher on those fed with flower or honey than those unfed. The number of A. nilaparvatae unable to eclose from eggs of N. lugens for the unfed parasitoid was 37.4% in comparison with 8.19 to 15.67% for those fed with flower or honey. The second experiment was a follow-up to address the question on the fitness of progeny of A. nilaparvatae fed with the tested flowers. The flowers and honey did not increase the longevity of A. nilaparvatae progeny. However, A. nilaparvatae fed with flowers or honey produced progeny that resulted in higher number of offspring compared to those unfed. C. sulphureus flower significantly increased the number of offspring produced by A. nilaparvatae. This suggest that the diet of the parental parasitoid determines the fitness of the progeny. Improving the hatching rate and the fecundity of progeny produced by the adults of A. nilaparvatae fed with the flower of T. subulata and C. sulphureus would contribute to the increasing population of this parasitoid which could lead to a better control of N. lugens in the rice field.
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