Biology of Fruit Borer, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) on Tomato under Laboratory Conditions
Reetesh Pratap Singh
Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut (U.P.), 250110, India.
Rajendra Singh *
Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut (U.P.), 250110, India.
Gaje Singh
Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut (U.P.), 250110, India.
D. V. Singh
Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut (U.P.), 250110, India.
Gopal Singh
Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut (U.P.), 250110, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The experiment on biology of fruit borer Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) was carried out in the Bio-control Laboratory, Department of Entomology, S.V.P.U.A.&T., Meerut. Results showed that the mean pre-oviposition, oviposition and post-oviposition period of fruit borer on tomato lasted for 2.46 ± 0.29, 6.33 ± 0.14 and 1.67 ± 0.14 days, respectively. A female laid on an average 329.40 ± 68.17 eggs. The incubation period was observed to be 3.08 ± 0.32 days on tomato. The first instar larva was very active with body length of 1.54 ± 0.81 mm and body breadth of 0.46 ± 0.05 mm. The larval development completed within 22.45 ± 0.44 days. The duration of each instar on tomato was found to be 2.58 ± 0.26, 3.50 ± 0.14, 3.42 ± 0.26, 3.71 ± 0.28, 4.38 ± 0.16 and 4.83 ± 0.14 days, respectively. The mean pre-pupal period lasted for 2.00 ± 0.24 days on tomato. The mean pupal period lasted for 12.33 ± 0.62 days. Longevity of adult ranged from 8 to 11 days with an average of 9.30 ± 1.25 days in males, while the longevity of female moths ranged from 10 to 14 days with an average of 11.30 ± 1.34 days. The male moth measured 17.79 ± 0.41 mm in length, 35.55 ± 0.92 mm in breadth and the female moth measured 19.76 ± 0.58 mm in length, 40.08 ± 0.99 mm in breadth on tomato. The sex ratio for male and female was 1: 0.76 on tomato. The generation from egg to death of male and female i.e., total life cycle was found to be completed within 39 to 60 days with an average of 50.3 ± 7.51 days and 41 to 63 days with an average of 53.5 ± 7.93 days, respectively.
Keywords: Biology, fruit borer, Helicoverpa armigera, tomato, laboratory