The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), is a major pest of Brassica crops in many parts of the world. Because of its ability to develop resistance to virtually all major groups of insecticides, including Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt), much attention has therefore been given to biological control using parasitoids. South Africa has an abundance of parasitoids attacking this pest. Cotesia plutellae (Kurdjumov) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is the most abundant larval parasitoid of P. xylostella in South Africa. In East Africa, its role in biological control of P. xylostella is insignificant, and the most abundant parasitoid there is Diadegma mollipla (Holmgren) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), a larvalpupal parasitoid. In South Africa, however, D. mollipla is out-competed by C. plutellae. Total parasitism of P. xylostella in East Africa rarely exceeds 15%, therefore there is a need to introduce more effective and heat-tolerant parasitoids of P. xylostella to that region. This study was therefore initiated to examine the potential of C. plutellae and D. mollipla as biological control agents by studying certain aspects of their biology in the laboratory, as well as the suitability of C. plutellae for introduction into East Africa. Biological aspects studied were: (i) host instar preference, fecundity, and searching efficiency of C. plutellae and D. mollipla at different host and parasitoid densities; (ii) effects of temperature on parasitism of P. xylostella by C. plutellae and D. mollipla, and on their rates of development and emergence. In addition, the role of parasitoids in controlling P. xylostella on unsprayed cabbage plots was investigated. Both C. plutellae and D. mollipla preferred to attack second and third instar hosts than fourth instars in choice and no-choice tests. However, D. mollipla attacked more fourth instar hosts than C. plutellae. Cotesia plutellae laid mainly female eggs in second and third instar hosts than in fourth instars, whereas D. mollipla laid more female eggs in fourth instar hosts than in second and third instar hosts. Diadegma mollipla was more fecund [82.57 ± 32.87, (mean ± s.d.) than C. plutellae (42.13 ± 12.2), and was long lived (7.13 ± 3.69 days) compared to the latter (5.23 ± 2.7 days). An increase in host density resulted in the reduction in the area of discovery (a) and the killing power (K) for both parasitoids. No significant differences were detected between the searching efficiency (t = -1.42NS, d.f. = 48, P < 0.001) of the two parasitoids. An increase in parasitoid density also resulted in a decline in searching efficiency, but not the killing power, of both parasitoids. Cotesia plutellae completed development at all temperatures tested (21-33°C), whereas D. mollipla completed development at temperatures from 18-30°C, and C. plutellae had a lower threshold for development (8.14°C) compared to D. mollipla (10.23°C). At all tested temperatures, the generation time for C. plutellae was shorter compared to D. mollipla. The possible reasons for the dominance of C. plutellae over D. mollipla in the field are: shorter generation time, high production of female progeny in younger hosts, low interference among searching females, and relatively wide thermal tolerance. The role of parasitoids in regulating diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), populations was studied for two years (February 2000-January 2002) on unsprayed cabbage fields at Brits, North West Province, South Africa. Cabbage seedlings were transplanted in three consecutive times each year. Cabbage infestations by P. xylostella larvae and pupae, and their parasitoids, were monitored at weekly intervals. The flight activity of P. xylostella male moths was monitored using sex-pheromone traps. Trap catches indicated that the moths were active throughout the year. The flight activity of the moths corresponded with infestations on the crop. Trap catches and infestation levels were generally low from December to August and high from September to November. Eight hymenopteran parasitoids were reared: the larval parasitoids Cotesia plutellae (Kurdjumov) (Braconidae) and Apanteles halfordi (Ullyett) (Braconidae); the larval-pupal parasitoids Oomyzus sokolowskii (Kurdjumov) (Eulophidae) and Diadegma mollipla (Holmgren)(Ichneumonidae); the pupal parasitoid Diadromus collaris (Gravenhorst) (Ichneumonidae); and the hyperparasitoids Eurytoma sp. (Eurytomidae), Mesochorus sp. (Ichneumonidae), and Pteromalus sp. (Pteromalidae). Cotesia plutellae was the most abundant parasitoid of P. xylostella followed by O. sokolowskii, D. collaris, A. halfordi and D. mollipla. Parasitism of P. xylostella larvae was high reaching 100% on several occasions during late spring to end of autumn (November-May) each year. Parasitism was lower (<50%) in winter and early spring (June-September). Apanteles halfordi was absent in winter but re-appeared in spring. Parasitism of P. xylostella pupae by D. collaris was high only during spring (September-October). Hyperparasitism was generally low except when primary parasitoids were abundant in spring (September-November) and summer (December-February) when up to 25% of P. xylostella larvae and C. plutellae cocoons yielded hyperparasitoids. The role of other biotic and abiotic mortality factors on the population dynamics of P. xylostella is discussed.

The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), is a pest on crucifer crops worldwide, damaging the leaves, florets and seed pods of many crucifers including cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and canola. It has been controlled using broad-spectrum insecticides, but this has led to a rapid build-up of insecticide resistance. In the Grahamstown area of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, diamondback moth showed resistance to cypermethrin (a pyrethroid) on commercially grown cabbages. Therefore it is imperative that other methods of control be adopted, including both cultural control and biological control using parasitoids, and that these are incorporated into an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programme. The diamondback moth and its parasitoids were monitored weekly from April 1997 to November 1999 at three sites near Grahamstown. One site was a commercial farm with an active insecticide spraying program; the others were unsprayed. Infestation levels were highest during spring (September to November) and autumn (March to May). Nine species of parasitoids were associated with the diamondback moth, with abundances being highest over spring and early summer (September to December). Cotesia plutellae (Kurdjumov) dominated the sprayed site, while the unsprayed sites yielded a complex of parasitoids, including C. plutellae, Diadegma mollipla (Holmgren), Diadromus collaris Gravenhorst and Oomyzus sokolowsldi (Kurdjumov). Parasitism levels ranged between 10 and 90%. There was a large amount of site-to-site and year-to-year variation. Parasitoids were an effective mortality factor against the diamondback moth. The effects of temperature on development and mortality, and of field size and non-crop plants on the distribution of diamondback moth and its parasitoids, were investigated. The results show that high temperatures can depress pest populations, and that the size and surroundings of fields can be manipulated to improve cultural control of the diamondback moth. Suggestions for effective rPM in the Eastern Cape Province include a reduction in insecticide applications, the use of bioinsecticides, for example Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt) and the encouragement of indigenous parasitoids by planting suitable nectar sources. Cultural control methods are also important and involve removal of cabbage refuse after harvest, management of wild crucifers around cabbage fields, scouting and monitoring the moth population and determining the optimal field size to assist with control by parasitoids.

Canola, Brassics napus L. is a relatively new crop in South Africa. Insect pests have not yet been a major problem, but the notorious brassica specialist, diamondback moth (DBM), Plutella xylostella (L.) (Plutellidae) is establishing itself as a serious pest of this crop. DBM is the most important insect pest of plants from the family Brassicaceae throughout the world. It has developed resistance to all chemical pesticides used against it in the field and to toxins of the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis. The pest status of DBM in South Africa is lower than in other countries with similar climates. However, due to indiscriminate use of pesticides, local populations of DBM are showing signs of resistance. An initial survey has indicated that in addition to DBM, canola is also attacked by aphids, Myzus persicae (Sulzer), Brevicoryne brassicae (L.), Lipaphis e1ysimi (Kaltenbach), (Aphiade), thrips, Thrips tabaci (Lindeman) and other pests mostly brassica specialists. The study was initiated to determine the composition of the community of insects found on canola, the seasonal phenology of DBM populations in canola, and the composition, relative abundance and seasonality of its parasitoids. Monitoring of the insects was carried out at weekly intervals for three years at Rietondale and Bapsfontein in Gauteng province of South Africa. Berlese funnels have been found to be useful in extracting insects from plants, and were used to indicate the presence ofDBM larvae and other insects found on canola. Adults of DBM were monitored with synthetic pheromone traps; larval and pupal populations were monitored by scouting canola plants. Samples of larvae, pupae and parasitoid cocoons were brought into the laboratory. Parasitoids that emerged were identified and their incidence recorded. Monolepta cf bifasciata (Chrysomelidae) and Listroderes costrirostris (Schoener) (Curculionidae) were the most abundant of the coleopteran pests. (DBM) and Heliothis armigera (H.) (Noctuidae) were most abundant lepidopteran pests of Canola. There was a high proportion of first and second instar larvae as indicated by the results of the Berlese funnels as compared to visual scouting in Bapsfontein. From May to August the infestation level of DBM was high, reaching the maximum of 0.25 larvae per plant in June 1996, then declined and remained low for the rest of the season in Rietondale. From September to December for all three years of the study, the population levels Of DBM were high, reaching a maximum of 9.6larvae per plant in September 1997, and remained low from January to August in Bapsfontein. The number of adult moths per trap per week ranged from 0 to 91 in Rietondale, peaking in January 1996 and September 1997. There was no correlation between infestation levels and the pheromone trap catches. In contrast to Rietondale, there was a high correlation between pheromone trap catches and subsequent larval infestations at Bapsfontein. Although DBM infestation levels were generally low, parasitism levels often reached 100% caused by a complex of parasitoids. During the period of study, the following hymenopteran parasitoids were recorded: Cotesia plutellae (Kurdjumov) and Apanteles eriophyes (Nixon), Braconidae), both larval parasitoids, Diadegma mollipla (Holmgren) (Ichneumonidae), and Oomyzus sokolowskii (Kurdjumov) (Eulophidae), larval-pupal parasitoids, Diadromus collaris (Gravenhorst) (Ichneumonidae) pupal parasitoid, and the hyperparasitoids Mesochorus sp. (Ichneumonidae) and Pteromalus sp. (Pteromalidae). Cotesia plutellae was the most abundant parasitoid occurring throughout the year..