Construction of life table for tobacco caterpillar, Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) on rabi groundnut during post-rainy season in southern peninsular region of India

Studies on the life tables and budgets of Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) were undertaken on rabi groundnut during post-rainy season of Bapatla region, Andhra Pradesh (India). The key factor analysis by budgets showed that an entomogenous fungus, Nomuroea rileyi (Farlow) Samson, as major larval mortality factor with k-value as 0.1697. Also, birds (Acridotheres tristis and Dicrurus adsimilis) recorded high k values of 0.1579 followed by wasps (Vespa cincta Fab. and Eumenes sp.) and spiders. Coccinellid beetles, Verania vincta Gorhm, Coccinella transversalis Fab. and Menochilus sexmaculata (Fab.) played a major role in bringing down the pest population. Negative trend indices of the first (1=0.4855) and second (I=O) generation indicated the effect of natural factors in reducing the population of S. litura Generation survival (S_G) of the first generation (0.5745) was more than the second generation (0.3615).