Efektivitas Tingkat Instar Predator Sycanus sp terhadap Mortalitas Ulat Api (Setothosea asigna) pada Kelapa Sawit
Effectiveness of Instar Levels of the Predator Sycanus sp on the Mortality of Fire Caterpillar (Setothosea asigna) in Oil Palm
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25299/dp.2026.vol42(2).29650Keywords:
Biological control, instar, oil palm, predator, Setothosea asigna, Sycanus spAbstract
Background: The fire caterpillar Setothosea asigna is a major defoliating pest of oil palm, and its control still relies heavily on chemical insecticides. Objective: This study aimed to determine the mortality symptoms of S. asigna caused by attacks from the predator Sycanus sp. and to evaluate the effectiveness of its instar stages 3, 4, and 5 as biological control agents. Methods: A non-factorial Randomized Block Design (RBD) was used with four treatments (F0 = control; F1 = instar 3; F2 = instar 4; F3 = instar 5, each of three predators paired with ten S. asigna instar 3 larvae) and six replications, conducted on oil palm seedlings under mesh cages at Institut Teknologi Sawit Indonesia, Medan, from February to June 2026. Mortality was observed every 12 hours for four days and analyzed by ANOVA followed by Duncan's Multiple Range Test at 5%. Results: Predator attacks caused larval skin shrinkage within 30–90 minutes after stylet piercing, followed by colour change from fresh green to yellowish-brown, then dark brown/blackish after more than 24 hours. By the eighth observation, mortality reached 95.00% (F1), 98.33% (F2), and 98.33% (F3), all significantly higher than the control (0.00%), with F2 and F3 not significantly different. Conclusions: Sycanus sp. instars 3, 4, and 5 are all effective biological control agents against S. asigna, supporting their use in environmentally friendly integrated pest management in oil palm
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