Biotic potential and reproductive parameters of Spodoptera cosmioides (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in the laboratory

Abstract

In this study we evaluate the biotic potential and reproductive parameters of Spodoptera cosmioides (Walker, 1858) under controlled conditions (25 ± 1 °C, 70 ± 10% RH and 14 hour photophase). Females, on average, (14.433 days) did not live significantly longer than their male counterparts (13.100 days). The mean durations of the pre-oviposition, oviposition and post-oviposition periods were 2.767, 10.600 and 1.067 days, respectively. The mean fecundity of females was 5,073.533 eggs and the mean fertility was 5,021.027 larvae. On average, females copulated 1.167 times. Fecundity was positively correlated with the number of copulations (r = 0.583, P <0.001). The number of copulations, however, was negatively correlated whit the duration of the pre-oviposition (r = -0.560, P = 0.007) and oviposition (r = -0.479, P = 0.048) periods, and overall longevity (r = -0.512, P = 0.031). The biotic potential was estimated at 6.547 x 1021 individuals/female/year. The net reproductive rate (Ro) was 2,193.722 times per generation and the mean generation time (T) was 46.407 days. The intrinsic rate of increase (rm) was 0.166, with a finite rate of increase (λ) of 1.180, per week.

The Granulate Cutworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae): Biological Parameters Under Controlled Conditions, Host Plants, and Distribution in the Americas

“…The oviposition period of F. subterranea , starting in the third night after adult emergence, is similar to previous observations ( Cline and Habeck 1977 ) and is also significantly linked to matings ( Fig.14 ). The longer preoviposition period for unmated females is related to the necessity of fertilization to stimulate the beginning of the oviposition period, as previously observed in F. subterranea ( Cline and Habeck 1977 ) and other species of Noctuidae ( Montezano et al 2013b , 2014a , 2015b , 2019b ; Specht and Roque-Specht 2019 ). Conversely, in the present study, the oviposition period was similar among unmated females and females that mated once, twice, or three times ( Fig.…”

“…The life table parameters presented for F. subterranea are similar to other polyphagous owlet moth pests that fed on an artificial diet ( Barrionuevo et al 2012 ; Montezano et al 2013a , 2014b , 2015b , 2019b ; Silva et al 2018a , b ; Specht and Roque-Specht 2019 ) or on their preferred host plants ( Greenberg et al 2001 , Santos et al 2005 , Farahani et al 2011 , Bortoli et al 2012 , Specht et al 2019 ). These parameters are characterized by a high net reproductive rate ( R o ) and short mean generation time ( T ).…”

“…The survival was also higher than observed for several other owlet moths and cutworms reared in nearly identical conditions by some of the authors (A.S., D.G.M., V.F.R.-S., S.V.P.M., and I.S.B.) (e.g., Montezano et al 2013a , b , 2014a ,b, 2015a , b , 2019a , b ; Specht and Roque- Specht 2016, 2019 ; Silva et al 2018a , b ). Considering that the adequacy of different formulations of owlet moths artificial diets modify the developmental paramenters, (e.g., Bavaresco et al 2004 ) the lower survival rates of F. subterranea obtained by Vendramim et al (1982) on artificial diet, may be partly accounted to the differences between the artificial diet formulations used by those authors and in the present study.…”

“…14 ). In other studies, the oviposition period lasted longer for unmated females ( Montezano et al 2013b , 2014a , 2015b , 2019b ; Specht and Roque-Specht 2019 ). The fecundity was much larger in the present study ( Table 5 ) than other F. subterranea studies ( Jones (1918) : 529.4 laid eggs and 264.8 eggs retained on the abdomen of dissected females, 794.2 eggs in total (average of 10 moths); Crumb (1929) : 403 eggs (one moth), and 325 eggs (average of three moths); Walkden (1950) : 970 eggs retained on the abdomen of a dissected female; Snow and Callahan (1968) : 1,142 eggs (average of nine moths), Lee and Bass (1969) : 647 eggs; Cline and Habeck (1977) : 746 eggs (average of mated females) and 286 eggs (average of unmated females); Vendramim et al (1982) : 1,035.15 eggs (average of individuals fed on natural diet as a larvae) and 1,390.30 eggs (average of individuals fed on artificial diet as a larvae, adults fed on 10% honey solution).…”

“…15 ). The significant positive relationship between fecundity and number of matings is observed in other species of owlet moths (e.g., Snow et al 1970 ; Ellis and Steele 1982 ; Chu and Yang 1991 ; Rogers and Marti Jr 1994, 1996; Ward and Landolt 1995 ; Landolt 1997 ; Hou and Sheng 1999 ; Sadek and Anderson 2007 ; Montezano et al 2013b , 2014a , 2015b , 2019b ; Specht and Roque-Specht 2019 ). Thus, several factors may be related to these observations, such as the specific vigor of the individuals used in the experiment, hormonal effects in multiple mating females ( Zeng et al 1997 ), and the availability of nutrimental material obtained from spermatophores in ‘re-mating’ received by females during mating in some Lepidoptera (but not in Noctuidae) ( Boggs and Watt 1981 , Greenfield 1982 ).…”