Predatory Potential of Canthecona furcellata (Pentatomidae: Hemiptera) Against Key Defoliator Pests of Teak in Nursery and Chik Pea under Field Conditions

Canthecona furcellata (Wolff.) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) is important biological control agents of many Lepidopteron, Coleopteran and Heteropteran insects. This predatory behavior of the species, this is a promising biological control agent for insect pests of agriculture and forest ecosystem. The nursery and field experiments were conducted to find out the predation potential of E. furcellata. The results revealed that maximum 93.66% predation was recorded on larvae of E. macheralis followed by 89.0 and 84.39% on larvae of H.puera and H. armigera respectively. Therefore, E. furcellata could be utilised effectively against E. machaeralis under field conditions, moreover, H. puera and H. armigera could be employed as laboratory hosts for mass rearing of E. furcellata.