Biology of Diapausing Population of Pink Bollworm <i>Pectinophora gossypiella</i> (Saunders)

Abstract

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.