Biological Control Laboratory, Division of Entomology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi - 110 012, India.
Results on age specific cohort life table on Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley at 27 ± 2°C and 65 ± 5% RH revealed that, the maximum female fertility was 140.69 female nymphs/female/week during the 5th age interval (28–35 days). The gross reproductive rate (GRR) was 242.07 females/female/generation while the net reproductive rate (R0) was 123.41 females/female/generation. Mean generation time (T), the intrinsic rate of natural increase (rm) and finite rate of increase () were 28.34 days, 0.1699 females/female/day and 1.185 females/female/day, respectively. The mortality rate was relatively higher for the first instar crawlers, which declined sharply in subsequent instars. The life cycle duration was 27.25 ± 0.5 days at 27 ± 2°C and 65 ± 5% RH. The female produced on an average 351 ± 44.73 young ones in her ovipositional period of 11.75 ± 0.96 days.
