The impact of temperature on biological and life table parameters of Chrysoperla carnea Stephens (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) fed on cabbage aphid, Brevicoryne brassicae (Linneaus)

Abstract

The impact of temperature on biological and life table parameters of Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) fed on cabbage aphid, Brevicoryne brassicae (L.) were evaluated at four different temperatures i.e. 20±1 °C, 24±1 °C, 28±1 °C and 32±1 °C with 65±5% RH and a photoperiod of 16:8 (L:D) hours in Insect Pest Management Program (IPMP), Institute of Plant and Environmental Protection (IPEP), National Agricultural Research Center (NARC), Islamabad during, 2012. Results showed that over all rearing at 28±1 °C the observed developmental, reproductive characteristics and life table parameters of C. carnea were found better, which proved to be the best among the other tested rearing temperatures. It was inferred from the present findings that rapid development of C. carnea was observed at 32±1 °C, which can be useful if quick development is desired in laboratories. At 28±1 °C, the recorded total femalernfecundity was highest, as females tend to oviposit a total of 323.9±0.2 eggs per female. Highest survival rate (96%) from egg to adult emergence was recorded at 28±1 °C as compared to all other temperatures. Highest survivorship rate (Lx) (0.896), maximum oviposition rate per female per day (Mx) (323.9) and highest values of R0 (264.95), rm (0.0655) were obtained by rearing of C. carnea at 28±1 °C. The longest mean generation time (T) (64.2), doubling time (DT) (9.678) and death rate (Dx) (24.48) of C. carnea was achieved by rearing at 20±1 °C.