https://dzarc.com/entomology <p><strong>Journal of Applied Entomologist</strong> is open access, refereed, or peer-reviewed research journal, this journal invites you to publish research articles that have a significant impact on science and academic group. This entomology journal's main focus is on critical and creative research and provides a completely open-access research journal platform for scholars and researchers to share their research and findings among practitioners around the globe.</p> Dzarc Publications en-US Journal of Applied Entomologist 2583-1917 https://dzarc.com/entomology/article/view/598 <p><strong>Objective:</strong> The investigation on mealybug&nbsp;<em>Maconellicoccus hirsutus</em>&nbsp;control in grape (<em>Vitis vinifera)&nbsp;</em>has not been carried out in Jumla, Nepal. So, a study was carried out in Chandannath, Jumla in selected grape vineyards (<em>Vitis vinifera</em>) to understand the effectiveness of various treatments in the mealybug <em>M. hirsutus</em>&nbsp;population.</p> <p><strong>Methods:</strong> The vineyard was screened with net that were deployed to find out the efficacy of 3 treatments namely seven spotted ladybird beetles&nbsp;<em>Coccinella septempunctata&nbsp;</em>(10 ladybird beetles released just before the monitoring and prior surveillance of beetles carried in the field)<em>, </em>Imidacloprid&nbsp;200 SL @1.5 ml/l of water/plant), and untreated control in controlling mealybugs <em>Maconellicoccus hirsutus</em>. In addition, laboratory study was conducted to understand the effect of fluctuating temperature and mealybug population in presence of ladybird beetles.</p> <p><strong>Results:</strong> At 10⁰c the numbers of mealybugs were 500, and they decreased to 450 and 395 at 12 and 14⁰c respectively. At 28 and 30⁰c they became 9 and 2 in numbers. The temperature was found significant to the population of mealybugs&nbsp;<em>M. hirsutus</em>, however the growth and development of ladybird beetles&nbsp;<em>C. septempunctata</em>&nbsp;were severely affected, while their feeding habit was directly correlated with increased temperature. The effect of ladybird beetles was highly effective in controlling the population of mealybugs in grape vineyards followed by the effect of imidacloprid and untreated control. The average yield (kg/plant) were 6, 8 and 4 in imidacloprid sprayed, ladybird beetle released and untreated control sprayed vineyard respectively. Grape cluster and yield were highest in ladybird beetle released vineyards followed by imidacloprid and untreated control.</p> <p><strong>Conclusion:</strong> Therefore, the ladybird beetle <em>C. septempunctata </em>could be the effective strategy in controlling invasive mealybug <em>Maconellicoccus hirsutus</em>&nbsp;in grape (<em>Vitis vinifera)</em>&nbsp;vineyards at changing temperature.</p> Janak Pant Prava Dawadi Copyright (c) 2025 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2025-01-03 2025-01-03 5 1 01 06