Bioactive Plant Natural Product Laboratory Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar-263145 (Uttarakhand) India.
Online published on 3 January, 2013.
A Study on growth and development of tobacco caterpillar, Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) on four host plants viz., Bt Cotton, Soybean, Jatropha, Chinarose and Castor was conducted under laboratory conditions at 29 ± 0.5° C and 75± 5% RH at Pantnagar. The Mean larval weight of S. litura at 2 and 4 days after feeding (DAF) on the four host plants was in the order: Bt cotton (1.01, 3.81 g) > China rose (0.83, 2.84 g)> Soybean (0.75, 2.96 g)> Jatropha (0.67, 1.4 g); and it was higher on Castor (2.57, 6.06 g). Larval and pupal development was shorter on castor than on the other host plants. The highest pupal weight was recorded on Castor (3.54 g) and lowest on Jatropha (0.59 g) and China rose (0.74 g). The maximum adult emergence and survival were highest on Castor followed by those on Bt cotton, Soybean, China-rose and lowest on Jatropha.
Spodoptera litura, survival, development, growth, host plants
