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OVIPOSITION PREFERENCE, LARVAL FEEDING PREFERENCE AND LARVAL FOOD QUALITY
OF HELIOTHIS ARHIGERA
A thesis
presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
at
Massey University Palmerston North
Nev.r Zealand
NATHAVUT THANEE 1987
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOVLEDGEHENTS LIST OF FIGURES LIST OF TABLES LIST OF PLATES LIST OF APPENDICES
ABSTRACT
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEV
Biology of the genus Heliothis 1 Adult
2 Egg 3 Larva 4 Pupa Distr i bution
Economic i mportance Crop s peci es affected Seasonal development
Helioth i s armigera( Hubner )
1 Dis tribution and host plants 2 Occurrence i n Australas ia Insect-plant relationships
1 Relati onships between Heliothis species
Page i i i i
V
vi i i ix
1
3
7 7 8 10 11 12 15 1 8 1 9 2 0 22 22 24 27
,
and the i r food plants
2 Ovipos i t ion of Helio this s pecies on plan t s
CHAPTER 3 FIELD OBSERVATIONS O F POPULATION DEVELOPMENT ON FOUR HOST PLANTS AND SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT
30 32
OF HELIOTHIS ARMIGERA IN THE HANAVATU 35
Int roduct ion 35
Field t r i als 37
Materials and me thods 37
1 Field s t udy area 37
2 Plan t s 40
3 Seasonal occurrence of �. armigera larvae
on hos t plants in relat ion to plant phenology 41 4 Damage to tomato fru i t s by larvae of
�.armigera 42
5 Infes tat ion of as ter flowers by larvae of
�.armigera 42
6 Infes tat ion o f swee tcorn cobs by larvae o f
�.armigera 43
7 Pheromone trapping of �. armigera at
Palmers ton North 43
Results 44
1 Seasonal occurrence of �.armi gera larvae
on hos t plan ts in relat ion t o plan t phenology 44 2 Damage to tomato fruits by larvae of
�.armigera
3 Infes tation of as ter flowers by larvae o f
�. armigera
45
45
4 Infes tation of s weetcorn cobs by larvae of
!!-armigera
5 Pheromone trapping of !!-armigera at Palmerston North
Discuss i on
1 Seasonal occurrence of !!.armigera larvae on host plants and infestations in relation to plant phenology
2 Pheromone trapping of !! . armigera at Palmerston North
Conclus i ons
CHAPTER 4 OVIPOSITION PREFERENCE OF HELIOTHIS ARMIGERA ON DIFFERENT PLANTS
Introduction
Materi als and methods
1 Ovi position preference of !!.armigera for plant parts within plant speci es
( mature flowering plants )
2 Ovipos ition preference of !!·armigera between four host plants
( i mmature non-flowering plants ) 3 Ovipos ition preference of !!·armigera
between four host plants ( mature flowering plants )
4 Effect of plant odour on ovi pos ition preference of !! . armigera
( mature flowering plants )
54
ss 59
59
6 1 6 3
64 64 66
66
67
67
68
Results
1 Ovi pos i tion preference of � . armi gera for plant parts within plant speci es
( mature flowering plants )
2 Ovi pos i tion preference of � . armigera between four host plants
( immature non-flowering plants ) 3 Ovi pos ition preference of � . armigera
between four host plants ( mature flowering plants )
4 Effect of plant odour on ovi position preference of �.armigera
( mature flowering plants ) Dicussion
Conclusions
CHAPTER 5 EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT LARVAL FOODS ON DEVELOPMENT OF HELIOTHI S ARMIGERA Introduction
Materials and methods Results
1 Effects of d i fferent foods on larval development
2 Effects of d i fferent larval foods on pupal weight, pupal per iod and sex ratio
3 Effects of d i fferent larval foods on adult life span and fecund i ty
68
68
7 8
78
78 81 84
85 85 86 88
88
92
95
Di scussion
1 Larval period 2 Percent pupation 3 Pupal peri od 4 Pupal weight
5 Adult fecundity , life span, ovipos i tion period and egg hatchabi li ty
6 Ranking and correlation between
101 101 102 102 103
104
parameters of larval food quality 105
Conclus ions 1 1 2
CHAPTER 6 FACTORS DETERMINING FOOD QUALITY FOR
DEVELOPMENT OF HELIOTHIS ARMIGERA 1 1 3
Introduction 1 1 3
Materi als amd methods 1 1 5
1 Amount o f food eaten and larval weight gain 1 1 5 2 Dry matter content o f food 1 1 6 3 Total nitrogen content o f food 1 16 4 Parameters of food utilization 1 17
Results 1 1 8
1 Amount of food eaten and larval weight gain 1 1 8
2 Dry matter content of food 120
3 Nitrogen content of food 1 20
4 Parameters of food uti lizati on 1 2 2
Di scuss ion 124
Conclus ions 128
CHAPTER 7 FOOD SELECTION AND INDUCTION OF FEEDING PREFERENCE IN LARVAE OF HELIOTHIS ARHIGERA Introduction
Materials and me thods
1 Preference of newly hatched larvae for d i fferent foods
1 . 1 Preference tests usi ng leaf discs 1 . 2 Preference for reproductive par ts
of plants
2 Induct ion of feed ing preference by reari ng on a speci f i c food
2 . 1 Rearing on ar t i f i cial diet and plant leaves
2 . 2 Rearing on art i f ici al diet and reproduct i ve par t s of plants Results
1 Preference of newly hatched larvae for d i f f erent f oods
1 . 1 Preference tests using leaf d iscs 1 . 2 Preference for reproductive par t s
o f plants
2 Induct i on of feed i ng preference by rearing on a s peci f i c food
2 . 1 Reari ng on ar t i f i cial diet and plant leaves
2 . 2 Reari ng on ar t i f i cial diet and reproducti ve par ts o f plants
129 129 1 31
1 33 133
133
133
133
134 135
135 1 35
1 35
142
142
150
Dis cus s i on
1 Preference of newly hatched larvae for di fferent foods
2 I nduction of feeding preference by rearing on a speci f i c food
Conclus i ons
CHAPTER 8 GENERAL DISCUSSION
REFERENCES
APPENDICES
1 Seasonal development
2 Feeding s i tes of larvae i n the f i eld 3 Larval food quality
4 Larval feeding preference 5 Ovi position preference 6. Concluding remarks
155
155
156 159
160 1 60 164 167 170 1 7 3 176
1 7 7
201
i
ACKNOVLEDGEHENTS
The present work was carri ed out under the supervi s i on of Dr.P . G . Fenemore , to whom I wish to express my grati tude for his encouragement , guidance, conti nued i nterest and constructi ve criticism throughout the course of the study and in the preparation of the manuscript. Grateful acknowledgement is also made to Professor B.P.Springett and Professor B.R.
discussion and comment.
Yatkin for their helpful advice ,
I would also like to thank: -
Dr. H.J.Hill for providing plant seeds and allowi ng the use o f his property for light trap.
Dr.P.Si ngh and Hr.J.S.Dugdale of Entomology Divi s ion, DSIR , Auckland for providing i nformation, reference specimens and i nsect reari ng techniques.
Hr.K.Simpson for his advice on Kjeldahl nitrogen content determination.
Dr.I . Gordon and Mr.V.Sereeprasert for their advice on statistical analys is.
Hr.T.Lynch for prepari ng the experimental s i tes.
Hrs.L.Hather, Hrs.L.Davi s and Mr.H.Neilson, technici ans of Plant Health Department for their prompt and e f f i cient help.
Hr. R.Cave for typing th i s thes is.
The s taff of the Hassey Uni vers i ty Li brary and Palmerston North HAF Li brary.
The staff o f Hassey Uni vers ity Computer Centre.
The staff o f Massey Uni vers ity Photographic Uni t.
i i
The Meteorology Di vis ion, DSIR , Palmerston North for provid i ng meteorologi cal data during experiment.
The SIRATAC Ltd . . New South Yales , Australia for supply i ng pheromone lami nates .
Khon Kaen Uni versi ty , Thai land for givi ng me thi s study leave.
New Zealand government for ODA scholarshi p .
Finally , my family for thei r encouragement and support .
LIST OF FIGURES
FIGURE
2 . 1 Yorld d i s t ribu t i on o f Helio this armigera
3 . 1 Numbers of H . armigera larvae observed every 3 days from December 27 , t o March 2 , 1984- 1985 and 1985- 1986 on t oma to plan t s .
3 . 2 Numbers o f H . armigera larvae observed every 3 days from December 27 , to March 2 , 1 984-1985 and 1985-1986 on aster plan t s .
3 . 3 Numbers o f H . armigera larvae observed every 3 days f rom December 27 , t o March 2 , 1984- 1985 and 1985-1986 on swee tcorn plan t s .
3 . 4 Mean numbers o f H . armigera larvae on d i f feren t plan t par t s observed every 3 days from December 27 , to March 2 ,
iii
PAGE
23
47
48
49
average over the two seasons , 1 984-1985 and 1 985-1986 . 50 3 . 5 Mean t o tal numbers of H . armigera larvae observed
every 3 days be tween February 4 , and March 2 , 1985 on d i f ferent colours of as ter f lowers .
3 . 6 Rela t i onship be tween numbers o f H . armigera moths caugh t i n pheromone t raps and temperature , wind veloci ty and rainfall at Palmers ton Nor t h be tween December 25 , 1985
53
and Apr i l 30 , 1986 . 58
4 . 1 Mean numbers o f eggs laid per female per day by H . armigera at 20±2°C and 1 6 : 8 ( L/D) pho toper iod . 4 . 2 Di s t ribu t ion o f eggs on dif ferent plan t par t s wi t h i n
plan t species .
70
75
FIGURE
4 . 3 Di s t r i bu t i on o f eggs be tween upper halves and lower halves o f plan t s .
4 . 4 Di s t ri bu t i on o f eggs between upper surfaces and lower surfaces o f leaves .
4 . 5 Mean percen tages o f eggs laid on d i f ferent plants . 7 . 1 Arrangemen t for preference tes t s .
7 . 2 Percent ages o f newly hat ched larvae o f H . armigera on leaf d i scs of four hos t plan t s .
7 . 3 Percen tages o f newly hat ched larvae o f H . armigera on reproduct ive par t s of plan t s .
7 . 4 Feeding preference on plan t leaves o f fourth i ns t ar larvae o f H . armigera reared on
ar t i f i c ial die t .
7 . 5 Feed i ng preference on plan t leaves of four th i ns tar larvae o f H . armigera reared on lucerne and as t e r leaves.
7 . 6 Feed i ng preference on plan t leaves of fourth i ns tar larvae o f H . armigera reared on toma to and swee t corn leaves .
7 . 7 Feed i ng preference on reproduc t i ve par t s o f plan t s o f fou r th i ns tar larvae o f H . armigera reared on ar t i f i cial di e t .
7 . 8 Feedi ng pre ference on reproduct i ve par t s of plan t s o f four th ins tar larvae o f H . armigera reared on a s pec i f i c food .
i v
PAGE
76
7 7 80 132
139
141
145
148
149
152
154
V
LIST OF TABLES
TABLE PAGE
2 . 1 Devel opment o f Helio this armigera confer ta on an
art i f i cial d i e t a t 25±1 °C and 16:8 ( L/D) pho t operi od . 14 2 . 2 D i s t r i bu t ion o f Hel i o this spec ies in the world . 16 3 . 1 Her b i c i des , ra t es and appl i ca t i on times to f i eld p lo t s . 41 3 . 2 Damage t o each s i ze category o f tomato f ru i t s by
H . armigera larvae be tween February 4 , and March 4 , 1985 . 51 3 . 3 Mean t o t al numbers of as ter f lowers and mean numbers
of H . armigera larvae per 10 flowers observed be tween
February 4 , and March 2 , 1 985 . 52
3 . 4 Infes t a t ion of swee t corn cobs by larvae of H . armigera
be tween February 4, and March 2 , 1985 . 54
3 . 5 Pheromone t rap catches o f H . armigera mo ths in experiment al plot area be tween December 1985 and Apr i l 1986 .
3 . 6 Correlat ion coe f f i cients ( r ) and probabi l i ty ( P ) be tween envi ronmental fac t ors and pheromone
trap ca t ches of H . armigera.
4 . 1 Percent ages o f eggs laid o f H . armigera on d i fferen t par t s o f ma ture flowering lucerne plan t s .
4 . 2 Percen tages of eggs laid of H . armigera on di fferent par t s of mature flowering t oma t o plan t s .
4 . 3 Percent ages of eggs laid of H . armigera on di ffe ren t par t s o f mat ure flowering aster plan t s .
56
57
7 1
7 2
7 3
TABLE
4 . 4 Percentages o f eggs laid o f H . armigera on d i f feren t par t s o f mature flower ing swee tcorn plan t s .
4 . 5 Ovi pos i t ion preference o f H . armigera be tween four hos t plan t s .
5 . 1 Cumula t ive percent mor tal i ty o f each ins tar o f H . armigera larvae through t o pupa t i on when larvae were reared on di f ferent plan t par t s in cont rolled laboratory cond i t ions .
5 . 2 E f fec t s o f d i f feren t foods on larval developmen t through to pupa t i on .
5 . 3 E f fec t s o f shi f t ing larvae f rom poor t o higher qual i ty food af ter t he third mou l t on larval developmen t and pupa t i on .
5 . 4 E f fec t s of d i f feren t larval foods on the pupal s tage of H . armigera .
5 . 5 Ef fec t s of shi f t ing larvae from poor to higher qual i ty food af ter the t h i rd mou l t on pupal s tage o f H . armigera .
5 . 6 E f fec t s of d i f feren t larval foods on adul t s tage and fecund i ty of H . armigera .
5 . 7 Ef fec t s o f shi f t ing larvae from poor to h i gher qual i ty food on the adul t s tage and fecund i ty o f H . armigera .
5 . 8 Ranking of d i f feren t foods according to b iolog i cal parame ters .
5 . 9 F i tness ind i ces for d i f feren t larval foods .
vi
PAGE
74
79
89
90
91
93
94
97
99
108 109
TABLB
6 . 1 Amoun t o f food ea ten and t o tal weigh t gained by H . armigera larvae when fed on 8 d i f feren t foods . 6 . 2 Dry mat ter content , wa ter con ten t and n i trogen
con t e n t of each food .
6 . 3 Parame t ers o f food u t i l iza t i on .
7 . 1 Percen tages o f newly ha tched larvae o f H . armigera on leaf di scs of four hos t plan t s .
7 . 2 Percen tages o f newly ha t ched larvae o f H . armigera on reprodu c t i ve par ts of hos t plants .
7 . 3 Feed i ng preference of fou r t h ins tar larvae reared on ar t i f i c ial d ie t .
7 . 4 Feed i ng preference of four th ins tar larvae reared on s pec i f ic foods .
7 . 5 Feed ing preference of four th i ns tar larvae raised on ar t i f i cial d i e t then o f fered reproduc t i ve par t s o f plan t s .
7 . 6 Induc t i on o f food preference by four th ins tar larvae rai sed on reproduc t i ve par ts of plan t s . 8 . 1 Ovi pos i t ion preference and feed ing preference by
H . armigera larvae on four hos t plan t s .
v i i
PAGE
119
121 123
137
140
144
146
151
176
LIST OF PLATES
PLATE
3 . 1 General v i ew of experimental area . 4 . 1 S tems of as ter showing sof t long hai rs
and � . armigera eggs .
v i i i
PAGE
3 9
84 ( a )
LIST OF APPENDICES
APPENDIX PAGE
1 Food plan t s o f Hel iothis spec ies . 2 0 1
2 The compos i t i on of the formulated d i e t
for H . a rmigera . 2 1 7
3 Percent of eggs laid by H . armigera on lucerne . 2 1 8 4 Percent of eggs laid by H . armigera on toma t o . 2 1 9 5 Percen t of eggs laid by H . armigera on as ter . 2 20 6 Percent of eggs laid by H . armigera on swee t corn . 2 2 1
7 Percen t of eggs laid by H . armigera on 2 2 2
4 d i f feren t plants .
