Abstract
The cotton boll worm, Heliothis armigera Hbn, was grown under standard conditions. Parameters are given for identification of larval instars on the basis of head capsule width. Intrastadial weight of larvae in terms of fresh weight is presented for a regular time interval of 12 hr. The maximum larval growth in all the stadia was observed in the first 24 hr after the preceding moult. Weight of larvae was almost constant in the last quarter of the stadium, till they moulted into the next. Although the last instar larvae gained maximum weight amongst all the stadia, their actual growth was minimum. First instar larvae recorded a 13 times increase in body weight in comparison to the last instar larvae with 3.9 times. Fifth instar larvae entered into the prepupal stage after they had completed an age of 60 hr. Temperature had a profound influence on the incubation period of eggs; the higher the temperature, the shorter it was. Between 28 and 36°C the incubation period was almost the same. The maximum tolerance level of constant temperature for the eggs of Heliothis armigera was 37°C.
Résumé
Ayant pour but d’identifier les instars de la chenille des épis du maïs,Heliothis armigera, ce travail présente des paramètres basés sur la largeur de la capsule céphalique. En ce qui concerne cette largeur, chaque instar en comprend une serie bein définie de valeurs avoisinantes qui ne chevauchent point avec celles des autres instars. Dans les instars successifs, une croissance exponentielle de la capsule céphalique a été observée. A intervalles réguliers de 12 hr, les poids frais des larves ont été spécifies pour chaque instar. Un minimum de croissance a été mis au point chez les animaux du dernier instar, bien qu’ils manifestent un poids maximal. Au cours du dernier instar, le poids des larves augmente d’un facteur de 3.9, tandis que dans le premier instar, l’augmentation de poids s’élève à un facteur de 13. Dans tous les stades, la croissance maximale s’effectue au cours de 24 hr après la mue précédente. Pendant le dernier quart de chaque instar, le poids des larves demeurait à peu prés constant. Les larves parvenaient au stade de propuce après avoir complete, dans le dernier stade larval, un âge de 60 hr. En ce qui concerne les oeufs, leur période d’incubation dépend fortement de la température: la période se raccourcit à mesure que la température monte, ne changeant guère, cependant, entre 28 et 36°C. Maintenus à un niveau de température constant, les oeufs de H. armigera sont en mesure d’en tolérer un maximum de 37°C.
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Singh, A.K., Rembold, H. Maintenance of the Cotton Bollworm, Heliothis Armigera Hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Laboratory Culture — II. Determination of Larval Instars, Their Growth and Modulation of Development. Int J Trop Insect Sci 13, 327–331 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742758400013576
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742758400013576