Life table and demographic parameters of mustard aphid, Lipaphis erysimi (Kaltenbach) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on five brassicaceous host crops

Brassica plants play a significant economic role as they are cultivated as vegetables, oilseed sources, condiments and forages. Emerging insect pest outbreaks threaten the production of cole crops. The mustard aphid, Lipa­phis erysimi (Hemiptera: Aphididae) is a perpetual annual threat to the cultivation of cole crops in India. The life table is a fundamental requisite for formulating pest management strategies. Hence, the life table of L. erysimi was studied on five brassicaceous host plants. The results showed that the total nymphal duration was shortest on mustard (5.82 ± 1.10 days), whereas it took 8.80 ± 0.89 days on broccoli. Similarly, the most prolonged and shortest oviposition period was recorded on mustard (6.81 ± 0.44 days) and broccoli (4.25 ± 2.59 days) respectively. The GGE biplot analysis showed that cabbage was the most preferred host, whereas broccoli was the least preferred by L. erysimi. The intrinsic rate of increase of L. erysimi was lowest on broccoli (0.21) and highest on mustard (0.35). Similarly, the net reproductive rate was highest on mustard (28.52 ± 0.37) and lowest on broccoli (12.52 ± 0.21). The age-stage-specific survival rate of an adult was maximum on cauliflower (0.84), and the highest age-stage life expectancy of L. erysimi at age zero was 12.84 days on cauliflower. The age-stage reproductive value at age zero was 1.42 on mustard. The population had doubled every 1.98 ± 0.008 days on mustard compared to 3.30 ± 0.025 days on broccoli. The data showed that mustard was the most preferred host for L. erysimi, and broccoli the least preferred or comparatively resistant