Abstract:

The effects of feeding on different food plants,Mikania micrantha HBK, Chromolaena odorata L., Gynura crepidioides Benth, Brassica parachinensis Bailey and Brassica chinensis L., on the survival rate and nutritional utilization of the larvae of Actinote anteas were investigated. The impact of feeding on different food plants on the activity of amylase,  trehalase, sucrase and esterase in the midgut of the 4th instar larvae were assayed in vitro. The results showed that the survival rate of 4th, 5th, 6th instar larvae fed on the M. micrantha are higher than that of those fed on the other three food plants. Although the relative consumption rate of 4th instar larvae fed on M. micrantha was low, the relative growth rate and the efficiency conversion of ingested food of these larvae were markedly higher than that of those on the other three plants (P<0.05). Furthermore, significant high enzyme activity of esterase was found in 4th instar larvae of A. anteas that fed on M. micrantha. The enzyme activities of amylase, sucrase and trehalase of A. anteas fed on B. chinensis were relatively low. The results indicated that the larvae of A. anteas had lower capability to utilize G. crepidioides, B. parachinensis and B. chinensis, and this suggested that these three species of plants would not become the host plants of A. anteas.

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Key words: Mikania micrantha, Actinote anteas, nutritional indices, invertase, detoxification enzymes, enzyme activity