%0 Journal Article
%T The Impact of Variation in Foliar Constituents of Sunflower on Development and Reproduction of Diacrisia casignetum Kollar (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae)
%A Nayan Roy
%A Anandamay Barik
%J Psyche
%D 2012
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2012/812091
%X Effects of feeding on young, mature, and senescent sunflower leaves were studied under laboratory conditions ( ¡ãC, 12L£¿:£¿12D, % RH) to evaluate the impact of variation of nutrients on larval food utilization efficiency, larval and pupal development and survival, longevity, and fecundity of Diacrisia casignetum Kollar. The growth rate, which is the ratio between the dry weight gain of insect and duration of experimental period, of D. casignetum was in the order of mature leaf > young leaf > senescent leaf of sunflower. This was correlated with nutrient constituents of three kinds of sunflower leaves, which was measured by various biochemical analyses described elsewhere in the text. Total carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, nitrogen, amino acids, and water content are in greater amount in mature leaves when compared to young and senescent leaves, whereas phenol content was highest in young leaves than mature leaves. Hence, higher amount of total carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, nitrogen, amino acids including water and lower amount of total phenol content in mature leaves have influenced higher growth rate, less developmental time, and higher fecundity of D. casignetum. 1. Introduction Diacrisia casignetum Kollar (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae) is an important economic pest in India and many other Asian countries [1]. The species is highly polyphagous, which is one of the major factors contributing to the pest status of this moth. Important agricultural crops such as sunflower, jute, sesame, and castor are among the host records in India. The occurrence of this arctiid moth has long been recorded in sunflower plant, and now it has been proved a serious defoliator in recent years [1]. The larvae of this arctiid moth feeds gregariously on sunflower leaves leaving mid ribs only and causes economic losses of this oil seed crop based on the crop stage and infestation level in the field [1]. Host plant quality is a key determinant of herbivorous insect which affects fecundity, growth rate, and development of insect [2]. Variation in development, survival, and fecundity of phytophagous insects is mainly due to variation in qualitative and quantitative amounts of nutrients among host plants including change in the nutritional quality of leaves within a particular host plant during its different developmental stages [3]. Herbivores of polyphagous nature often show better development, survival, and reproduction on mature leaves than young leaves within a plant because of higher level of toxic secondary substances in young leaves [4, 5]. Hence, it will be interesting to
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/psyche/2012/812091/