PREDATORY POTENTIAL OF CHILOCORUS INFERNALIS MULSANT (COLEOPTERA : COCCINELLIDAE) AGAINST PLUM SCALE, PARTHENOLECANIUM CORNI (BOUCHE) (HEMIPTERA : COCCIDAE) ON PLUM IN KASHMIR.

Chilocorus infernalis Mulsant was first time reported from Kashmir, in active association with plum scale, Parthenolecanium corni (Bouche). Developmental period of the ^1st, 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, pupal instar and from egg to adult of the coccinellid predator when reared in laboratory on P . corni was 3.33, 3.66, 5.66, 7.33, 6.4 and 30.58 days, respectively. Rate of consumption of scale by 1^st instar to adult beetle ranged 1.92-10.44 / day and 7.66 to 31.37/3 day by a single individual. Difference in rate of consumption at each stage was found statistically significant. The immature grub from 1^st to 4^th instar consumed a total of 22.55 and 70.66 scale per day and per 3 day, respectively. Rate of consumption by 4^th instar was found more than the adult. A single beetle during its life time of 30.66 days consumed an average of 267.66 scales whereas total consumption of scales in the life time of a beetle was 417.64. At predator: prey ratio of 1:10, 1:15 and 1:20, difference in rate of consumption was found statistically non significant. Coefficient of correlation between prey density and rate of consumption was insignificantly correlated (r= 0.33 NS; d.f.= 34). Regression model between these two parameters was Y = 6.01 + 0.0944 x; R² = 11.2%. Per cent prey consumption however declined in relation to increasing prey density from 10 to 20. A strong negative correlation was found to exist between prey density and percent consumption rate (r = -0.84**; d.f. = 34). Regression equation between prey density and per cent prey consumption was established as y = 96.8 - 2.94 x; R² = 70.7%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]