Abstract
Threshold temperature and cumulative energy requirement for the development of cutworm, Agrotis ipsilon Hufnagel
Highlights
The development of A. ipsilon was studied at constant temperature regimes of 17.5, 20.0, 22.5, 25.0 and 27.5 ± 0.5 ̊C in BOD incubator with relative humidity varying between 55 to 75% and 12:12 (L:D) photoperiod
The larval developmental threshold temperature was established on the basis of the rate of development observed among different growth stages when reared under each temperature regimes
Data obtained from the experiments were described by the linear regression equation of Y = a + bX, where Y is the rate of development at temperature X, and a and b are constants that were estimated with the least squares method described by Campbell et al (1974) and Beck (1983)
Summary
Threshold temperature and cumulative energy requirement for the development of cutworm, Agrotis ipsilon Hufnagel. Understanding the physiological relationship between temperature and development rate is important in the prediction of population outbreaks and timely management of pests on crops (Van der Have, 2008, Nebapure et al, 2018). K is the rate of development (the reciprocal of the time period required to complete a given development stage at temperature T; b is a constant (the slope of linear regression); and t is the estimated developmental threshold temperature [t= T- (K/b)] or –a/b, while the thermal constant (K) expressed in degree days (DD) was estimated as K = 1/b. The information on the development threshold is used as the basis for calculating thermal unit accumulation (degree-day) which in turn is useful in predicting field occurrence and development of the pest. Such predictive degree- day models provide valuable information for developing control programmes
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