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Thermal Regimes, Age and Sex Modulate Feeding Attributes of Zygogramma bicolorata Pallister (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)


Affiliations
1 Biocontrol Research Laboratory, Integral Information and Research Centre-4, Integral University, Lucknow 226 026, India
2 Department of Zoology, National P G College, Lucknow 226 001, India
3 Department of Zoology, University of Lucknow, Lucknow 226 007, India
 

Feeding attributes of phytophagous insects are greatly influenced by abiotic and biotic factors. Therefore, we assessed the combined effect of temperature, age and sex on food consumption and utilization efficiencies of Zygogramma bicolorata Pallister. This Mexican beetle is known as one of the most promising candidates for the biocontrol of Parthenium hysterophorus Linnaeus, a noxious weed of barren, grazing and farming lands. Temperature, age and sex influenced food consumption, its utilization and ecological efficiencies of the beetle. Temperature between 27°C and 30°C was found optimal for 20-day-old adults of Z. bicolorata to convert and utilize the food biomass to body mass. Above and below the optimal temperature and age, the feeding attributes declined. Young females kept at 27°C consumed more food and laid more number of eggs compared to other females at different temperatures. This study reveals that females are more voracious feeders than the males regardless of temperature regimes. The present findings can be helpful to mass-multiply Z. bicolorata in the laboratory for the biocontrol of Parthenium weed in fields and agricultural farms. The results also suggest that global climate change may affect the biocontrol potential of the insect, but field investigations are needed to support the present findings.

Keywords

Age, Biocontrol, Food, Sex, Temperature, Zygogramma bicolorata.
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  • Thermal Regimes, Age and Sex Modulate Feeding Attributes of Zygogramma bicolorata Pallister (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Abstract Views: 245  |  PDF Views: 74

Authors

Uzma Afaq
Biocontrol Research Laboratory, Integral Information and Research Centre-4, Integral University, Lucknow 226 026, India
Gyanendra Kumar
Department of Zoology, National P G College, Lucknow 226 001, India
Omkar Omkar
Department of Zoology, University of Lucknow, Lucknow 226 007, India

Abstract


Feeding attributes of phytophagous insects are greatly influenced by abiotic and biotic factors. Therefore, we assessed the combined effect of temperature, age and sex on food consumption and utilization efficiencies of Zygogramma bicolorata Pallister. This Mexican beetle is known as one of the most promising candidates for the biocontrol of Parthenium hysterophorus Linnaeus, a noxious weed of barren, grazing and farming lands. Temperature, age and sex influenced food consumption, its utilization and ecological efficiencies of the beetle. Temperature between 27°C and 30°C was found optimal for 20-day-old adults of Z. bicolorata to convert and utilize the food biomass to body mass. Above and below the optimal temperature and age, the feeding attributes declined. Young females kept at 27°C consumed more food and laid more number of eggs compared to other females at different temperatures. This study reveals that females are more voracious feeders than the males regardless of temperature regimes. The present findings can be helpful to mass-multiply Z. bicolorata in the laboratory for the biocontrol of Parthenium weed in fields and agricultural farms. The results also suggest that global climate change may affect the biocontrol potential of the insect, but field investigations are needed to support the present findings.

Keywords


Age, Biocontrol, Food, Sex, Temperature, Zygogramma bicolorata.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv125%2Fi7%2F771-776