›› 2014, Vol. 57 ›› Issue (1): 61-66.

• RESEARCH PAPERS • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Biology and demography of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) on five cauliflower cultivars under laboratory conditions (In English)

Gholamhosein HASANSHAHI1, Fatemeh JAHAN1, Habib ABBASIPOUR1,*,  Mohammad SALEHI-TABAR1, Alireza ASKARIANZADEH1, Jaber KARIMI1, Ali Hossein RAHIMI2   

  1. (1. Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Shahed University, Tehran 1865133191, Iran; 2. Zarand Branch Islamic Azad University, Zarand 7761146595, Iran)
  • Online:2014-01-20 Published:2014-01-20

Abstract: 【Aim】 The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), is globally regarded as most important pest of cruciferous plants. Due to increasing costs of spraying and destructive hazards on the environment, resistant cultivar is one of the perfect alternative methods to control P. xylostella. In the present study, due to lack of enough knowledge about resistance and susceptibility of different cultivars of cauliflower, we evaluated antibiosis resistance of some common cultivars and effects of different plant cultivars on potential of pest population growth. 【Methods】 In this research, life table parameters of P. xylostella were studied on five cauliflower cultivars including Smilla, White cloud, Buris, Galiblanka and Tokita under laboratory conditions of 25±2℃, 65%±5% RH and 16L∶8D photoperiod. 【Results】 The developmental time of immature stages ranged from 13.44 d on Smilla cultivar to 15.88 d on Buris cultivar. The highest fecundity of P. xylostella was observed on Buris cultivar. P. xylostella reared on Smilla cultivar had the highest intrinsic rate of increase (0.27±0.02) and finite rate of increase (1.32±0.13) and the lowest doubling time (2.50 d). 【Conclusion】 Therefore, Smilla cultivar is more susceptible than others to P. xylostella in the southern region of Tehran and the pest population can be quickly increased in the suitable conditions.

Key words: Plutella xylostella, demography, cauliflower, cultivars, life table parameters