1department of Genetics and Plant Breeding (Cotton Section), CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar125004, Haryana
2Department of Entomology, CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur176062, Himachal Pradesh
*Email: visitrvchandel@yahoo.com (corresponding author)
The beet army worm Spodoptera exigua (Hubner) was found to infest the foliage and tubers of potato in Himachal Pradesh. Initially the larvae made large irregular holes on the leaves, and with severity, led to complete defoliation, and stems were also injured. After defoliating, the larvae entered the soil and made numerous circular holes in the tubers causing considerable damage. Its biology was studied under laboratory conditions. It was observed that the egg, larva, pupa and adult periods last for 2.2± 0.13, 9.7± 0.45, 4.3± 0.15, and 9.3± 0.15 days, respectively. Pupation occurred in soil. The total life cycle (egg to adult emergence) was completed in 18.9± 0.62 days, with fecundity being 450.2± 31.08 eggs/ female. This is perhaps, the first report of S. exigua on potato tubers under field conditions in India.
Potato, Spodoptera exigua, Himachal Pradesh, Biology, Tuber damage, Emerging pest, Defoliation, Lifecycle, Laboratory conditions, First report
