Impact of Diets on the Biology of <i>Corcyra cephalonica</i> (Stainton)

Abstract

The influence of various diets was evaluated on the biology of Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton) under laboratory conditions. Results revealed that the lowest egg hatching (60.33%) was found on wheat diet 100% and highest (87.50 %) was on bajra (32.33%) + maize (32.33%) + wheat (32.33%) + sugar (3%) diet.The shortest and longest incubation period (3.83 and 6.67 days), larval period (31.83 and 40.67 days) and total developmental period (50.50 and 65.00 days) were recorded on bajra (100%) and wheat (100%) diet, respectively. Meanwhile shortest and longest pupal period (14.83 and 19.33 days) were recorded on bajra (100%) and maize (100%) diet, respectively. The maximum and minimum adult emergence (88.33 and 53.75 %), sex ratio (1.72:1 and 0.42:1), adult male lifespan (12.50 and 7.17 days), fecundity (239.16 and 180.67 eggs/ female) and growth index (2.66 and 1.39) were recorded on maize (48.5%) + sorghum (48.5%) + Groundnut (3%) diet and Wheat (100%) diet, respectively. Life span of adult female was longest (8.67 days) and shortest (4.67 days) on diet maize (48.5%) + sorghum (48.5%) + groundnut (3%) and bajra (100%) diet, respectively. It may be concluded that among the seven diets, the most preferred diet for rearing of C. cephalonica was maize (48.5%) + sorghum (48.5%) + groundnut (3%) and the least preferred diet was wheat (100%).