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Importance of carbohydrate sources to the reproductive output of the wheat armyworm Pseudaletia sequax
Author(s) -
Marchioro Cesar A.,
Foerster Luís A.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
agricultural and forest entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.755
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1461-9563
pISSN - 1461-9555
DOI - 10.1111/j.1461-9563.2011.00548.x
Subject(s) - biology , fecundity , longevity , pest analysis , perennial plant , nutrient , population dynamics , agronomy , nectar , botany , ecology , population , demography , genetics , sociology , pollen
1 The importance of nutrients consumed by adults differs among lepidopteran species. Knowledge of adult nutritional requirements is particularly useful when adopting biological control strategies that involve the use of flowering plants to improve the effectiveness of natural enemies. This is because nectar may also serve as a carbohydrate source for the pest. 2 We evaluated the effect of different sources and concentrations of carbohydrate consumed by adults on the performance and fitness of the wheat armyworm Pseudaletia sequax Franclemont, which is an important pest of cereal crops. 3 The consumption of carbohydrates by the adults significantly increased the length of the oviposition period, fecundity, fertility and longevity of P. sequax . Adult nutrition also affected the daily oviposition pattern of the females. 4 The demographic parameters estimated for each diet regime (i.e. intrinsic rate of increase, finite rate of increase and net reproductive rate) were influenced by adult nutrition. These parameters also varied according to the source and concentration of carbohydrates. 5 The results obtained in the present study suggest that the use of perennial flowering plants to provide a food source for natural enemies can also favour the pest.