Abstract

                                Laboratory experiments conducted at Soil and Water Management Research Institute, (TNAU), Thanjavur to assess the prey potential and preference of three common rice dwelling spiders on rice pests showed that Pardosa sp was the most efficient predator and it had the highest predatory potential with BPH (14.31) followed by WBPH (10.96). Tetragnatha and Oxyopes sp. consumed more of GLH 5.69 and 7.29 and their potential against WBPH and WBPH and BPH was almost equal. Pardosa preferred plant hoppers (BPH and WBPH) to leaf hopper (GLH). Terragnatha and Oxyopes preferred more of GLH than WBPH and BPH. The three spiders behaved differently on the preference of moths of leaf folder, stem borer and caseworm.

Key words : RICE-SPIDERS-PREY-POTENTIAL-PREFERENCE