Fecundity and life table parameters of Campoletis sonorensis (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), an endoparasitoid of the Cabbage Looper Trichoplusia ni Hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), under laboratory conditions

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2012

Publication Title

Biocontrol Science and Technology

Volume

22

Issue

2

First Page

125

Last Page

134

Abstract

The fecundity and life table parameters of Campoletis sonorensis females were measured using thirty 4-day-old Trichoplusia ni larvae daily at 24°C, 60% RH and a photoperiod of 12 h L:12 h D. The mean longevity was 34.5±2.8 days, the mean oviposition period was 22.7±1.9 days, and the mean constant oviposition period and the mean post-oviposition period were 15.9±1.3 and 11.9±2.2 days, respectively. The mean realised fecundity and the mean fertility differed significantly at 66.9±7.8 and 60.4±7.8 parasitoids per female, respectively. The mean sex ratio for the mean oviposition period (23 days) was 0.13±0.07, indicating a highly female biased ratio. The life table parameters were: intrinsic rate of natural increase (r m), 0.135 female/day; gross reproductive rate (GRR), 50.30; net reproductive rate (R o), 49.96; finite capacity for increase (λ), 1.14 female/day; mean generation time (T), 28.97 days; doubling time (DT), 5.13; capacity for increase (r c), 0.33; and cohort generation time (T c), 11.69. Campoletis sonorensis may be a suitable candidate for a biocontrol program of T. ni populations mostly because the primary selection criterion, rm , obtained for this parasitoid can be similar to or larger than the rate obtained for T. ni.

DOI

10.1080/09583157.2011.643224

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