Effects of eggplant varieties on the growth and development of Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata and its parasitoid.

The effects of eggplant varieties on the growth and development of Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata and its parasitoid Pediobius foveolatus were examined. The mean development duration of H. vigintioctopunctata was much shorter when fed on the variety Shanghaizhiqie, than if fed on other varieties, the development duration of larva and pupa was 5.69 d faster than when feeding on the variety Toutaomo. When the host larvae fed on Shanghaizhiqie the wasps progeny and sex ratio are the highest but the parasitization ratio was a little lower than in hosts fed on other eggplant varieties. P. foveolatus preferred to parasitise later instars of the host larvae with the fourth instar larvae being the most suitable for P. foveolatus.