**Department of Microbiology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India
Department of Entomology, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad - 500 030, Andhra Pradesh, India
*Corresponding author's present address: Department of Agril. Entomology, University of Agriculture Sciences, Raichur - 584 102, Karnataka, India; E-mail: shrikantagri@gmail.com
Online published on 20 November, 2014.
The host plant Castor was grown inside the Open Top Chambers (OTCs) at three levels of CO2 concentration (550 ppm, 700 ppm and ambient condition) to obtain the feed for laboratory culture of Spilosoma obliqua. The experimental results showed that S. obliqua consumed significantly higher quantity of Castor foliage under elevated CO2 condition as compared to ambient condition. The final larval weight, fed leaf weight and faecal matter weight were more significant among all the treatments and the larval duration increased by one day in the elevated CO2 condition than the ambient condition. The pupal weight recorded was more in the ambient condition them in the elevated CO2 condition.
Elevated CO2, Spilosoma oblique and Open Top Chambers (OTCs)
