Zur Wirkung der Nahrungspflanze auf die Entwicklung und Vermeharung der Baumwolleule,Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd.) (Lep.,Noctuidae)

Effect of some host plants on development and reproduction of Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd.) (Lep., Noctuidae) Investigations were performed to study the effect of some hostplants on development and reproduction capacity of the Egyptian cotton leaf-worm,Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd,), Larval and pupal weights, life span, average number of eggs laid per female and percent digestability for fifth instar larvae were measured. Cotton leafworm was able to complete its life cycle only when reared on eigher castor bean leaves, clover, sweet potato leaves, or the outer green cabbage leaves. Chlorophyl-free inner white cabbage leaves, maize, and grape vine are nutritionally insufficient to support growth and development of larvae and, in turn, cause increase in span of survived larvae and none of these larvae metamorph to pupae. It seems that there is a positive correlation between larval and pupal weights and average number of eggs laid per female; the greater the weight of larvae and pupae the higher the number of eggs laid. Castor bean leaves seem to be the most favorable host plant for rearing cotton leafworm in the laboratory. The differences and variations in the growth and development of cotton leafworm due to feeding on different host plants are discussed.