At constant temperatures between 15.6 and 32~ the incubation time of eggs of Diatraea saccharalis (F.) was reduced by each increase in temperature.At 34~ the time decreased. Highest (98.6 ~) and lowest (9.9 %) egg hatch occurred at 26 and 34~ respectively. Larvae completed development at temperatures ranging from 22 to 34~ however, only 4.4 ~ o.f the larvae pupated at 34~ Duration of the larval stage at 30~ (~ = 18.1 days; o = 19.1 days) was ca. 14 days shorter than at 22~Maximum rate of development in the pupal stage occurred at 28~ (ca. 6.8 days), and a higher temperature increased developmental time and mortality. Adult longevity and egg production generally were reduced with increasing temperatures and egg production was highest at 24~ (729.8 eggs/ moth).As many as 7 larval stages occurred; but most larvae completed development in 5 stages, and none completed development in less than 5 stages. The female larval stage was ca. 1 day longer than that of males, and this difference occurred primarily in the 5th stage. KNIPLING (1972) proposed that properly timed releases of the tachinid parasite, Lixophaga diatraeae (TOWNSEND), in conjucntion with sterile insect releases of Diatraea saccharalis (F.) might provide a mean of controlling this pest. However, before this concept can be tested in the field methods must be developed for large-scale production of D. saccharalis.Large-scale production of insects in the laboratory requires knowledge on optimum temperatures for holding the various developmental stages and for programming of rearing. No such information regarding D. saccharalis was found in the literature, and even when developmental times were given, temperature conditions nor sex was cited. The study herein was made to determine best temperature(s) with respect to rate of development and survival for rearing D. saccharalis and to develop information for programming production.
METHODSRearing procedures for D. saccharalis were generally similar to those reported by HENSLEY & HAMMOND (1968). However, larvae were held in individual 30-ml plastic cups on a soybean-wheat germ diet (BREWER, 1976) in rearing chambers programmed (1) In cooperation with the Delta Branch of tiae Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, Stoneville, Mississippi 38776.
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