Effects of temperature on development of life-stages of pigeon pea pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner)

Abstract

Life-stages of Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) were reared on pods of pigeon pea at different temperature levels viz., 20, 25, 30 and 35 °C to determine the effect of temperature on their development, oviposition and fecundity. The growth index and the larval duration of H. armigera were found to be 2.29, 3.79, 4.93 and 4.98 and 27.22, 19.05, 16.72 and 16.76 days at 20 °C, 25 °C, 30 °C and 35 °C temperature levels, respectively. The net reproductive rate (Ro) of H. armigera to the tune of 73.20, 124.17, 118.71 and 91.53 females per female per generation, the mean length of generation time (T) to the extent of 60.97, 45.51, 39.99 and 39.29 days, innate capacity for increase in numbers (rm) to the tune of 0.0740, 0.0850, 0.1250 and 0.1300 female per female per day were observed at 20 °C, 25 °C, 30 °C and 35 °C temperature, respectively.