Open AccessPuncturing apple fruits increases survival of Grapholita molesta (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in laboratory rearing
Author(s) -
Souvic Sarker,
Un Taek Lim
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0267890
Subject(s) - tortricidae , fecundity , biology , lepidoptera genitalia , larva , horticulture , pest analysis , population , botany , demography , sociology
Grapholita molesta (Busck) is a major pest in orchards of apple, peach, and plum. For better rearing in the laboratory, we compared the life history characteristics of G . molesta by providing larvae with either punctured or unpunctured apple fruits. The development time of immatures and the fecundity of adult females were similar between punctured and unpunctured apples. However, the overall survival rate of G . molesta (larvae to adult emergence) was 1.7 times higher on punctured apples than unpunctured ones, resulting in a higher intrinsic rate of population increase. Therefore, punctured apples would be a better food source for rearing of G . molesta .