Occurrence of Natural Enemies of Maize Stem Borer Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) in Kharif Maize Ecosystem

Field experiments were carried out at Maize field of AICRP on Maize, Central farm, OUAT, Bhubaneswar, Odisha during Kharif 2014 and Kharif 2015 to document the “Occurrence of natural enemies of maize stem borer Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) in Kharif maize ecosystem”. The average seasonal coccinellid population in Kharif 2014 and Kharif 2015 was in between 1.10 to 1.20 per plant respectively from 30th SMW (19 DAS) to 40th SMW(89DAS) .Number of eggs/ plant laid by the green lacewings, Chrysoperla carnea recorded 0.07 to 0.43/ plant and 0.04 to 0.47/ plant in the same time period. Mixed population of two predominant spider population over two growing seasons reached maximum (1.56/ plant) and (1.55/ plant) at 39th SMW in maize ecosystem in both the seasons. Syrphid maggots reached the peak (1.26. and 0.80) / plant in maize at 40th SMW in these years ranged from 0.68 to 1.75/ plant. Pentatomid bug, Eocanthecona. furcellata was very negligible on maize crop. Reduviid bugs appeared from 31st to40th SMW however in growing seasons the population varied from 0.03 to 0.26/ plant.