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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Crop Protection and Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #123685
Title: INTERACTION BETWEEN INSECT STRAIN AND ARTIFICIAL DIET IN DIAMONDBACK MOTH DEVELOPMENT AND REPRODUCTION.

Author
item Carpenter, James
item BLOEM, STEPHANIE - USDA APHIS PPQ CPHST NBCI

Submitted to: Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/1/2002
Publication Date: 3/7/2002
Citation: Carpenter, J.E., Bloem, S. 2002. Interaction between insect strain and artificial diet in diamondback moth development and reproduction. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata. 102:283-294.

Interpretive Summary: The economical production of physiologically and behaviorally competent diamondback moths (DBM) is critical to most research and control programs against this insect. Although a few laboratory-adapted colonies are maintained on artificial diets, it is often difficult to establish feral colonies of DBM on artificial diets. Understanding how different DBM strain perform on different diets is critical to the process of laboratory adaptation as well as to the successful use of laboratory-reared insects in the field. We examined the effect of different diets on the length of development, percent survival, adult weight, female fecundity and adult longevity for two wild and one laboratory adapted strain of DBM. We found that the performance of one strain of DBM on a particular diet did not necessarily predict the performance of another DBM strain on the same diet. However, a soy-based diet we developed performed well for all three DBM strains tested. In future efforts to colonize wild DBM, we suggest that researchers test different diet formulations in order to identify a diet that is most suitable for the particular DBM strain under consideration.

Technical Abstract: The economical production of physiologically and behaviorally competent diamondback moth (DBM), Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), is critical to most research and control programs against this insect. Although a few laboratory-adapted colonies are maintained on artificial diets, it is often difficult to establish feral colonies of DBM on artificial diets. Understanding the interactions between insect strain and diet may be critical to the process of laboratory adaptation as well as to the successful use of laboratory-reared insects in the field. As such, the objective of this study was to investigate the interaction between several DBM colonies/strains and different natural and semi-synthetic diets. Specifically, we examined the effect of different diets on the length of development, percent survival, adult weight, female fecundity and adult longevity for two feral and one laboratory-adapted strain of DBM. Significant interactions were observed between laboratory-adapted and fera strains and also between different feral strains with respect to many of the growth and development parameters tested. Therefore, the performance of one strain of DBM on a particular diet was not necessarily predicted by the performance of another DBM strain on the same diet. However, the soy- based diet developed and reported in this study performed well for all three DBM strains tested. In future efforts to colonize feral DBM, we suggest that researchers assay different diet formulations in order to identify a diet that is most suitable for the particular DBM strain under consideration.