| dc.description.abstract | In oil palm plantations, Setora nitens is a serious pest that feed mainly on the leaves of mature and imature palms. Crop losses caused by feeding on the leaves have been calculated to be about 30% of the crop yield. Synthetic chemical insecticides have been used satisfactorily to control this pest. However, it has heen known that not all chemical substances have always been used correctly and some of them are particularly highly toxic. It has caused of resistance phenomena, very wide spread pollution and sometimes caused serious in balances within ecosystems. Integrated Pest Management is a method which can be utilized to over come these problems. Euphorbia heterophylla and Nephrolepis sp. are known as useful plants for the natural enemies of S nitens in order to maintain an environment necessary for the natural biological control of the pest (Ho Cheng Tuck and The Chong Lay, 1999). The aim of this study was to determine these food plants as alternative host for the parasite and predator of S. nitens in order to use them in maintaining the pest under critical level. Four different community of E. heterophylla and Neprholepis sp. in oil palm plantations were set up to study the presence of S. nitens and their natural enemies. The result showed that these useful plants is very important as feeding plants and recreate environment for the parasite and predator of nettle caterpillars, S. nIlens. Key words: Euphorbia heterophylla, Nephrolepts sp., Setora nitens, Oil Palms | id |
