Environmental Entomology (1983) 12, 1490-1495

T.J. Henneberry and T.E. Clayton (1983)
Pink bollworm (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae): Effects of soil moisture on behavior of diapausing larvae and adult emergence from bolls
Environmental Entomology 12 (5), 1490-1495
Abstract: Diapause pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders), larvae in cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., bolls buried in soil during March exited the bolls and tunneled to within 0 to 1-7 cm of the soil surface under laboratory conditions. Higher percentages of the larvae exhibited this behavior when bolls were buried in moist (11 to 15% soil moisture) than in dry (2% soil moisture) soil or when bolls were left on the soil surface. Higher percentages of the exited larvae pupated as compared with pupation of larvae remaining in the bolls. Adult emergence occurred more rapidly when larvae in bolls was buried in moist soil (12% soil moisture) than when larvae in bolls were buried in dry soil (4% soil moisture). In an outdoor insectary (1979), the first pupa from diapause pink bollworm larvae was obtained between 15 and 22 March 1980. Pupation increased thereafter to 95% during 24 to 31 May. Adult emergence was first observed 5 to 12 April, and 92% emergence occurred from 24 to 31 May. In 1981, adult emergence began on 20 April, with 100% emergence occurring by 23 June.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
environment - cropping system/rotation
population dynamics/ epidemiology

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Pectinophora gossypiella	Cotton (Gossypium)