Dirhinus giffardii is an efficient and aggressive pupal parasitoid of tephritid flies, including Bactrocera cucurbitae. Here we report on the various biological aspects of Dirhinus giffardii, mainly host-age preference, potential as well as the survival of this parasitoid from the pupae of different ages and its in vivo release against Bactrocera cucurbitae. The emergence rate of parasitoids was higher in old pupae than in fresh pupae. Similarly, the lifespan and potential of parasitoids emerged from older pupae were higher than those emerged from younger ones. The parasitoids reared on older pupae significantly controlled melon fly infestation in vivo. These findings suggest that parasitoids reared on older pupae of B. cucurbitae have a greater potential regarding fecundity, parasitism performance and survival, as these parasitoids effectively suppressed populations of B. cucurbitae under greenhouse conditions.

The present study was conducted to develop buckwheat cookies supplemented with wheat flour.Buckwheat and wheat flour were examined for their proximate composition. Buckwheat flour contained11.6% moisture, 15.79% crude protein, 1.81% crude fat, 1.83% ash, 0.70% crude fibre content and 68.27%NFE, while wheat flour contained moisture content 13.12%, crude fibre content 1.93%, crude fat 1.42%,crude protein content 12.53%, ash content 1.57% and 69.43% NFE, respectively. Wheat flour was incor-porated into buckwheat flour at 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50% ratio to make composite flour and the developedcookies were analysed for quality evaluation. Supplementation of wheat flour significantly influenced theproximate and mineral composition of buckwheat flour based cookies. Moisture contents, crude fibrecontents and NFE (Nitrogen Free Extract) increased, whereas crude fat, crude protein and ash contentsdecreased. Mineral contents (Fe, Ca, K, Zn and Mg) of developed buckwheat cookies decreased withincrease in wheat flour supplementation levels. Sensory characteristics of supplemented cookies increasedwith increase in supplementation levels of wheat flour and were acceptable by judges in terms of test,colour, texture and overall acceptability. Cookies developed from C 50% C supplementation level of wheatflour got maximum scored points while C0 control C0 was found to be more nutritious and gluten freehaving more crude protein and mineral contents when compared to supplemented cookies.

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