International Journal of Pest Management (2001) 47, 89-93

W.P. Lemos, R.S. Medeiros, F.S. Ramalho and J.C. Zanuncio (2001)
Effects of plant feeding on the development, survival and reproduction of Podisus nigrispinus (Dallas) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae)
International Journal of Pest Management 47 (2), 89-93
Abstract: Diets consisting of leaves of cotton and/or water were insufficient to promote the complete development and survival of Podisus nigrispinus (Dallas) to the adult stage. However, nymphs fed leaves lived longer than those provided with only water. Addition of Alabama argillacea (Huebner) larvae to the diet of P. nigrispinus added a substantial increment to the survival during the nymphal stage. The addition of cotton leaves to the diet of P. nigrispinus nymphs promoted an increase in the weight of newly eclosed adults, independent of predator sex. In addition, diets supplemented with cotton leaves promoted an increase in the duration of the oviposition period, the number of egg clutches per female, and the number of eggs per female. No effects were noted on either the duration of the pre-oviposition period, the number of eggs of the first clutch, the number of eggs per clutch, the interval between egg clutches, or sex ratio. Feeding on plant material by P. nigrispinus is a potentially positive attribute in biological control against cotton leafworm.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Francisco de Sousa Ramalho, José Cola Zanuncio

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Alabama argillacea	Cotton (Gossypium)
Podisus nigrispinus (predator)	Alabama argillacea	Cotton (Gossypium)