Abstract
Helicoverpa armigera is a pest insect with a large dispersal range, a high degree of polyphagy in the larval stage, and of difficult control. The pest's ability to survive due to the availability of food and persist in grain production systems present in several Brazilian regions allows it to infest a wide range of crops, including soybeans and invasive plants during the off-season. There is general knowledge that the larva prefers to feed on plant reproductive organs, but it is unknown if this is true for soybeans, a crop to which it is adapting following its recent recognition as a pest. Basic knowledge of herbivore feeding behavior is necessary to support control within the integrated pest management philosophy. The purpose of this study was to examine the preference behavior of H. armigera larvae in their first, fourth, and sixth instars for vegetative and reproductive organs of soybean plants. It is concluded that the larvae, regardless of instar, feed on all available vegetative and reproductive organs, but they have preferences based on their current developmental stage.
Highlights
Helicoverpa armigera larvae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Heliothinae) feed on the most diverse organs, including apical shoots, leaves of various ages, and reproductive organs such as flowers and fruits, in countless species of plants, both cultivated and wild (Salvadori et al.,2013; Guedes et al, 2013)
Consumption was higher in expanding leaves (EL) versus new leaves (NL) and old leaves (OL)
The presence of larvae was greatest in expanding leaves (EL) and old leaves (OL) 12 hours after infestation but did not differ from nonchoice
Summary
Helicoverpa armigera larvae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Heliothinae) feed on the most diverse organs, including apical shoots, leaves of various ages, and reproductive organs such as flowers and fruits, in countless species of plants, both cultivated and wild (Salvadori et al.,2013; Guedes et al, 2013). The H. armigera larvae preferentially feed on various plant organs, buds, inflorescences, fruits, and pods (Reed, 1965; Wang and Li, 1984). H. armigera larvae fed on leaves and reproductive organs of plant species showed variation in survival, duration and consumption and in the weight of pupae they originate (Suzana, 2015; Suzana et al, 2015). Despite these indications, it is unknown in what proportion this occurs in soybeans, depending on the stage of development of larvae and plants, which is relevant knowledge to support the establishment of management criteria for this pest. Information about larvae displacements through plant organs, depending on their development stage, is important for definitions in insecticide application technology, in order to better reach the target and increase control efficiency
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