The Effectiveness of the Parasitoid Telenomus Remus in Controlling The Gray Caterpillar in Corn Crop Production
Efektivitas parasitoid Telenomus remus dalam pengndalian ulat grayak pada budidaya tanaman pangan jagung
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21111/agrotech.v12i01.12Keywords:
iological control, egg parasitoid, maize, Spodoptera frugiperda, Telenomus remusAbstract
Spodoptera frugiperda is a major invasive pest in maize cultivation that causes severe damage to leaves and growing points, leading to significant yield losses. Management of this pest in the field still largely depends on synthetic insecticides, which may result in pest resistance, environmental contamination, and adverse effects on non-target organisms. This study aimed to analyze the effectiveness of the egg parasitoid Telenomus remus as a biological control agent against S. frugiperda in maize cultivation based on recent research findings. The study employed a systematic literature review method using 30 national and international scientific articles published between 2021 and 2026. The results showed that T. remus exhibited high parasitism capacity against S. frugiperda eggs, with parasitism rates reaching 67.5% in Gorontalo, 70.99% in Bogor, and 71.97% in the Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Studies conducted in Brazil and China also reported that this parasitoid suppressed more than 70% of S. frugiperda egg populations through both field releases and laboratory evaluations. The high effectiveness of T. remus is associated with its strong host-searching ability, capacity to parasitize layered eggs covered by scales, and effectiveness in attacking host eggs during early developmental stages. Furthermore, T. remus can be mass-produced and integrated with entomopathogenic fungi within an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) system. Therefore, T. remus has strong potential as an effective, environmentally friendly, and sustainable biological control agent for managing S. frugiperda in maize cultivation.
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