<div>Background: The life cycle of the parasitoid Acerophagus papayae Noyes and Schauff is being documented in this work, which is essential for its successful application in integrated pest management initiatives.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: Papaya mealybug Paracoccus marginatus Granara de Willink Williams, which were taken from different host plants, were used to assess the life cycle. The development of the parasitoid differed based on the mealybug&rsquo;s host plant, according to the results. 
 
Result: The physiology and behavior of P. marginatus were altered by the host, which had an indirect effect on A. papayae performance. According to an investigation of age-specific life tables, the parasitoid&rsquo;s net reproductive rate (NRR) was lowest on tapioca (282.53), greatest on papaya (559.48 females/female) and lowest on cotton (498.28). These reproductive rates mirrored those of the mealybug across host plants. Development time was shorter and progeny output was higher on papaya and cotton, while the reverse was true for tapioca and hibiscus. The capacity for increase (rc) was highest in papaya (0.512) and lowest in tapioca (0.324). Similarly, the intrinsic rate of increase (rm) followed the same trend, with a maximum of 0.570/day in papaya and a minimum of 0.342/day in tapioca. These findings highlight how host plants influence the parasitoid&rsquo;s biology and offer valuable insights for enhancing mealybug control strategies.</div>

Co-evolutionary Dynamics and Life Table Analysis of Acerophagus papayae in Response to Papaya Mealybug Paracoccus marginatus

<div style="text-align: justify;">The experiment was conducted to explore salt tolerance potential of Urochondra setulosa and Sporobolus marginatus (collected from the extreme saline habitat of Rann of Kutch, Gujarat, India) and Leptochloa fusca (from RRS, CSSRI, Lucknow, India). The phytoremediation potential of these halophytes was quantified in terms of reduction in soil EC and pH. It was observed that mean soil pH values reduced from 9.5 to 9.13 and 10.0 to 9.51 whereas mean ECe values decreased from 30 to 19.7, 40 to 28.9 and 50 to 36.47, respectively at the harvest stage. In addition, the tolerance potential of these grasses towards salinity and sodicity was also explored through gas exchange attributes, K+/Na+ and biomass production etc. L. fusca and S. marginatus produced higher biomass under sodic condition while in U. setulosa it increased under salinity stress. Under sodic condition, L. fusca showed less reduction and maintained higher K+/Na+ in their leaf tissues. Based on these various indicators of stress tolerance, the three halophytes could be categorised as salt tolerant or alkaline stress tolerant.</div>

Co-evolutionary Dynamics and Life Table Analysis of Acerophagus papayae in Response to Papaya Mealybug Paracoccus marginatus

Salt tolerance potential of halophytic grasses – Phyto-remediation and Physiological perspectives