Developmental Biology and Morphometric Studies of Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) on Cotton under Laboratory Conditions
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53560/PPASB(62-4)1113Keywords:
Fall Armyworm, Invasive Insect Pest Species, Morphometrics, Cotton CropAbstract
The life cycle and morphometric characteristics of fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), on cotton were studied under laboratory conditions at the Stored Grain Research Laboratory, Department of Entomology, Faculty of Crop Protection, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam. Ten individuals of each stage, i.e., egg, six larval instars, pupae, and adults (males and females) were observed to observe their development duration and record various morphometric parameters which were then presented as mean ± SE calculated using MS-Excel. The obtained results indicated that the mean egg hatching period was recorded as 2.33 ± 0.05 days. The mean developmental duration of six larval instars was recorded as 5.11 ± 0.30, 6.17 ± 0.27, 5.81 ± 0.21, 5.78 ± 0.26, 5.63 ± 0.27, and 4.53 ± 0.27 days, respectively, with total larval development completed in 32.06 ± 0.21 days. The mean pupal period was 9.63 ± 0.23 days, as the total life cycle of S. frugiperda was completed in 43.92 ± 0.72 days. Mean adult longevity of males was recorded as 7.90 ± 0.29 days and 9.60 ± 0.19 days for females. Mean fecundity of S. frugiperda was recorded as 407.50 ± 13.76 eggs per female. The lengths of the six larval instars were 1.68 ± 0.05, 3.32 ± 0.07, 6.94 ± 0.07, 12.87 ± 0.46, 19.78 ± 0.34, and 31.95 ± 0.27 mm, respectively, while their mean width was 0.30 ± 0.01, 0.60 ± 0.02, 1.43 ± 0.06, 1.91 ± 0.04, 3.26 ± 0.11, and 4.41 ± 0.07 mm, respectively. The head capsule radius of all six instars was recorded as 0.14 ± 0.01, 0.23 ± 0.01, 0.37 ± 0.01, 0.76 ± 0.01, 1.02 ± 0.02, and 1.83 ± 0.03 mm. The mean larval weight from the 3rd to 6th instars and pupa was 0.08, 0.14, 0.23, 0.42, and 0.15 g, respectively. Therefore, obtained results clearly indicated that S. frugiperda has the potential to survive and grow on cotton, a major cash crop in Pakistan. Therefore, it is recommended that appropriate measures should be taken to restrict its spread on key crops of Pakistan, i.e., cotton, to reduce economic losses.
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