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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Gainesville, Florida » Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology » Insect Behavior and Biocontrol Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #242269
Title: Rearing optimization of two races of the Fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda feeding natural host plants

Author
item HAY-ROE, MIRIAN
item Meagher, Robert - Rob

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/27/2009
Publication Date: 7/27/2009
Citation: Hay-Roe, M.M., Meagher Jr, R.L. 2009. Rearing optimization of two races of the Fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda feeding natural host plants. Meeting Abstract.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Two ecological races of the Fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda were raised under laboratory conditions feeding on natural host plants (corn and bermuda grass). Three rearing containers were used: a plastic container and a vertical cylinder to test fitness when feeding gregariously, and individual cups to test fitness in isolation. Survivorship, mortality and fitness (measured by the pupal mass and wing length of the final adult) were measured for each testing method. The results indicate that survivorship and adult size vary depending of the natural host plants and the rearing methods used. When the larvae were fed corn plants in an isolated cup their survival increases drastically compare to gregarious containers, however the adults were smaller than when reared gregariously in plastic containers. In contrast, caterpillars fed Bermuda grass have a greater survival and fitness when fed gregariously in plastic containers than when fed on individual cups.