Biotic potential and reproductive parameters of Spodoptera cosmioides (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in the laboratory.

A Specht,V F Roque-Specht

doi:10.1590/1519-6984.184595

A Specht, V F Roque-Specht

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/1519-6984.184595

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Abstract

In this study we evaluate the biotic potential and reproductive parameters of Spodoptera cosmioides (Walker, 1858) under controlled conditions (25 ± 1 °C, 70 ± 10% RH and 14 hour photophase). Females, on average, (14.433 days) did not live significantly longer than their male counterparts (13.100 days). The mean durations of the pre-oviposition, oviposition and post-oviposition periods were 2.767, 10.600 and 1.067 days, respectively. The mean fecundity of females was 5,073.533 eggs and the mean fertility was 5,021.027 larvae. On average, females copulated 1.167 times. Fecundity was positively correlated with the number of copulations (r = 0.583, P <0.001). The number of copulations, however, was negatively correlated whit the duration of the pre-oviposition (r = -0.560, P = 0.007) and oviposition (r = -0.479, P = 0.048) periods, and overall longevity (r = -0.512, P = 0.031). The biotic potential was estimated at 6.547 x 1021 individuals/female/year. The net reproductive rate (Ro) was 2,193.722 times per generation and the mean generation time (T) was 46.407 days. The intrinsic rate of increase (rm) was 0.166, with a finite rate of increase (λ) of 1.180, per week.

Highlights

The genus Spodoptera Guenée, 1852 (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) or “armyworms” is one of the most important groups of owlet moth pests around the world
Studies on the host-plant associations, temporal and spatial distribution, morphology, and biology of S. cosmioides have highlighted its importance as a pest of several crops, its low susceptibility to Bt protenis and to the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium rileyi (Farlow) Samson
In this work we compare the biological data of S. cosmioides with three species already studied in same conditions: S. albula (Walker, 1857), S. eridania (Stoll, 1782) and S. dolichos (Fabricius, 1794) (Montezano et al, 2013a, b, 2014a, b, 2015, 2016) and other works about S. cosmioides (Santos et al, 1980; Habib et al, 1983; Bavaresco et al, 2002, 2003, 2004; Zenker et al, 2007; Cabezas et al, 2013)

Summary

Introduction

The genus Spodoptera Guenée, 1852 (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) or “armyworms” is one of the most important groups of owlet moth pests around the world. Studies on the host-plant associations, temporal and spatial distribution, morphology, and biology of S. cosmioides have highlighted its importance as a pest of several crops, its low susceptibility to Bt protenis and to the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium rileyi (Farlow) Samson This study complements a previous publication on the immatures of S. cosmioides (Specht and Roque-Specht, 2016) and is part of a project where the main species of armyworms are being studied under identical controlled conditions. These studies aim to compare the biology of these species, establish biological patterns and differences. In this work we compare the biological data of S. cosmioides with three species already studied in same conditions: S. albula (Walker, 1857), S. eridania (Stoll, 1782) and S. dolichos (Fabricius, 1794) (Montezano et al, 2013a, b, 2014a, b, 2015, 2016) and other works about S. cosmioides (Santos et al, 1980; Habib et al, 1983; Bavaresco et al, 2002, 2003, 2004; Zenker et al, 2007; Cabezas et al, 2013)

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