Comparative biology of spike or fruit borer, Helicoverpa armigera hubner on different medicinal plants Lakshmi K. Vijaya, Satyanarayana J., Madhavi Y. Department of Entomology, Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University, Hyderabad-500 030, Andhra Pradesh, India Online published on 19 March, 2018. Abstract The biology of spike or fruit borer Helicoverpa armigera Hubner on different medicinal plants, Coleus [Colons forskohli (Wild) Briq.], Ashwagandha [Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal], Kalmegh [Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Nees] and Musk mallow (Abelmoschus moschatus Medic.) under laboratory conditions revealed that the spherical, ribbed eggs were laid singly on leaves, flowers and spikes and on or near the fruiting bodies. The fecundity of female moth was, on an average, 1234±0.60 eggs on Coleus, 1109±0.90 eggs on Ashwagandha, 1212.4±0.85 eggs on Kalmegh and 1480±0.90 eggs on Musk mallow. The duration of oviposition period was 2.32±0.41, 2.9±0.44, 1.75±0.27 and 6.45±0.39 days on Coleus, Ashwagandha, Kalmegh and Musk mallow, respectively. Egg period recorded as 3.69±0.57 days on Coleus, 3.85±0.38 days on Ashwagandha, 2.85±0.47 days on Kalmegh and 3.85±0.34 days on Musk mallow. The freshly hatched larvae were white in colour. The colour of larvae varied from green, brown, red to black and had distinct longitudinal stripes running down the body. The duration of larval stage was recorded as 17.6±0.28 days on Coleus, 13.81±0.53 days on Ashwagandha, 16.18±0.16 days on Kalmegh and 24.07±0.55 days on Musk mallow. The colour of the pupa was dark brown. The duration of pupal stage lasted for 8.57±0.27, 9.15±0.70, 13.15±0.50 and 9.97±0.34 days on Coleus, Ashwagandha, Kalmegh and Musk mallow, respectively. The total developmental period lasted for 30.06±0.31, 26.8±0.70, 28.05±0.69 and 38.89±0.46 days on Coleus, Ashwagandha, Kalmegh and Musk mallow, respectively. The longevity of adult female and male was 8.98±0.29, 6.71±0.40 days on Coleus, 9.28±0.45, 5.50±0.56 days on Ashwagandha. 6.89±0.70, 4.35±0.43 days on Kalmegh and 6.45±0.39 and 8.02±0.21 days on Musk mallow, respectively. Top Keywords Biology, Fruit borer, Spike borer and medicinal plants. Top |