author(s)
Richa Kumari, NN Singh, SVS Raju and PS Singh

abstract
The experiment was carried out to evaluate the temperatures requirements for the proper storage of trichocards parasitized by Trichogramma chilonis (Ishii) prepared from two host eggs i.e. Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). The effect of different temperatures treatment on the biological parameters like parasitization capacity, emergence percentage, adult longevity, sex ratio of T. chilonis, on the eggs of C. cephalonica and H. armigera were investigated. Parasitized trichocards were kept at 9⁰, 11⁰, 13⁰, 15⁰, 17⁰, 19⁰, 21⁰, 23⁰, 25⁰ and 27 ⁰C. Storage temperature of 15 ⁰C showed the highest per cent parasitism (89.33% on C. cephalonica & 88.33% for H. armigera eggs) which was declining with increase in temperature, per cent adult emergence was 94 & 96% on C. cephalonica and H. armigera eggs respectively and total fecundity (99.33 & 103.67% on C. cephalonica and H. armigera eggs respectively) also followed the similar trend. Storage temperature of 9⁰ recorded the highest longevity of T. chilonis (11.50 & 11.17 days, respectively on C. cephalonica and H. armigera eggs). Treatment with storage temperature of 13 ⁰C recorded the highest sex ratio of female to male, 5:1 on C. cephalonica eggs and 4:1 on H. armigera eggs. In general the treatment with 15 ⁰C was most effective overall recording the highest in three parameters and can be considered as the best treatment. The results suggested that the most suitable temperature for the storage of trichocards can be 13⁰ to 15 ⁰C.