This study on the comparative biology Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) was carried out at the University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur, Karnataka, in insect rearing growth chamber (25 ± 1°C, 65 ± 5% RH and photoperiod of 14:10 hr, L: D) during 2018-19. The results revealed that the incubation period was 3.5 ± 0.82 and 3.05 ± 0.55 days in non-diapausing and diapausing populations, respectively; a total larval period of 18.60 ± 2.28 and 19.65 ± 1.53 days, respectively was observed without any significant difference; and adult longevity of male and female was 9.05 ± 0.55 and 9.55 ± 0.83 days, respectively in non-diapausing population, while in diapausimg population it was 9.75 ± 0.26 and 10.25 ± 0.43 days. Total life cycle of non-diapausing population was significantly shorter (42.85 ± 4.99 days) as compared to diapausing one (134.3 ± 12.91 days) with fecundity of 112.34 ± 10.31 and 104.54 ± 9.96 eggs, respectively. The longer lifecycle of diapausing population was due to long resting diapausing period ranging from 72 to 108 days.
The pink boll worm Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) is a threat to cotton cultivation. A study conducted in the NFSM laboratory of University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur focused on the protein and amino acid profile of the diapausing larvae. Amino acid composition of diapause and non-diapause larvae revealed that out of 17 amino acids, 14 showed a significant difference. In diapausing ones total amino acid content was found to be 603.23 ± 5.10 μg/g which was significantly higher compared to non-diapausing ones at 534.91 ± 3.19 μg/g. Likewise, protein content was more in diapausing larva destined to become female (27.15 ± 2.27 mg/100 g) as compared to non-diapausing ones (20.29 ± 2.61 mg/100 g). Thus, when larvae undergo diapause, the protein and amino acid content in larval body increases, implying that the larvae store dietary food for its survival during resting phase.
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