Effects of parasitism by the braconid wasp, Bracon hebetor (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), on the host hemolymph and phenoloxidase activation of the rice moth, Corcyra cephalonica larvae (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Abstract Background Biological control of insect pests is an economic, eco-friendly and harmless approach to integrated pest management strategies. Bracon hebetor (Say) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) considers a polyphagous ectoparasitoid various the order Lepidoptera. The parasitized host insects' defense mechanisms are triggered as result parasitic wasps' injury penetration. Thus, induce cellular humoral immune responses through blend secretions injected into body. present study was designed evaluate efficacy B. on response full grown larval instar rice moth, Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) under natural envenomation. Results On level, ultrastructure examination hemocytes displayed considerable structural deformation in hemocyte morphology detected types hemocytes. Moreover, effects parasitism both differential counts (DHCs) total (THCs) were investigated. number prohemocytes (PR) (40.33 ± 5.61, 43 8.33 26 2.31) statistically differed after (24, 48 72 h) parasitism, respectively, compared unparasitized (31.33 6.49) larvae. Similar observations recorded plasmatocytes (PL) before parasitism. However, Spherulocytes (SP) Oenocytoids (OE) hemolymph with little abundance. other side, quantitative analysis proteins (THP) provoked significant effect considering non-parasitized As Phenoloxidase (PO) cascade plays critical role defenses, so substantial activation PO host's following successive hours larvae using L-DOPA substrate indicated induction system. showed gradual increase activity (0.442 0.103) 24 h reached up (1.482 0.272) at end (72 comparable (0.177 0.0.044). Conclusion investigations clarified mechanism, which will enable progress sustainable stored product protection approaches for important moth C. .