Project Leader
Dr. Omar Mohd Yusoh (M.Y. Omar)
Monophagus species of Nephotettix, N. malayanus and N. parvus were found restrictedly on Leersia hexandra, while N. virescens on Oryza sativa. The polyphagus N. nigropictus has a wider range of host plants consisting of rice and graminaceous grass especially L. hexandra but electrophoretic studies on both populations of N. nigropictus revealed that they are actually conspecific. by contrast, population of brown planthopper which is morphologically indistinguishable from rice feeding N. lugens, may be not N. lugens based on its isozymes and bionomics. Distinct members of Trichogrammatidae and Mymaridae were found parasitizing these hoppers in which Paracentrobia andoi, P. yasumatsui and Gonatocerus parasitised eggs of Nephotettix spp. while Anagrus parasitizing the hoppers: O. shibuyae on Nephotettix: Tomosvaryell anitens, T. subvirescens, T. oryzaetora, Pipunculus javanensis, P. mutillatus and P. macropygus. Strepsipteran reared were Elenchus spp. from N. lugens and S. furcifera and Halictophagus australiensis and the rare H. munroe from Cofana and Nephotettix respectively. Several dryinids were also reared from hosts including the newly discovered Anteon yasumatsui.