Division of Entomology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi-110012, (India).
The intrinsic rate of natural increase of rice gundhi bug, Leptocorisa varicornis F. was worked out on alternate host plant, Echinochloa colonum (L.) Link during kharif 1995. The net-reproductive rate, the mean length of generation and the intrinsic rate of natural increase were found to vary between 2.3 and 43.2 times, 16.5 and 27.4 days, and 0.042 to 0.224 female/female/day, respectively during different periods of the season. The maximum intrinsic rate of natural increase (0.224) was estimated during the period from the last week of August to 3rd week of September, which seemed to be the most favourable period for the multiplication of the pest during the season.
