Pest Management Science (2014) 70, 805-813

Shu-Jen Tuan, Chung-Chieh Lee and Hsin Chi (2014)
Population and damage projection of Spodoptera litura (F.) on peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L.) under different conditions using the age-stage, two-sex life table
Pest Management Science 70 (5), 805-813
Abstract:
BACKGROUND
The common cutworm, Spodoptera litura (Fabricus), is the most serious pest of peanuts in Taiwan. In order to devise an ecology-based and cost-effective control program, we collected life table data and consumption rates from larvae reared indoors at a constant temperature of 25°C, or outdoors at ambient temperatures during the spring and fall of 2010. A computer simulation was then used to project the population growth and damage potential of S. litura on peanuts.
RESULTS
Laboratory-reared S. litura individuals produced 3548 eggs/female, whereas those reared outdoors produced 3452 and 3072 eggs/female in the spring and fall, respectively. The intrinsic rate of increase was 0.1828, 0.1308 and 0.1545 day⁻¹ , and the net consumption rate was 194.0, 132.2 and 166.6 cm² larva⁻¹ at 25°C, in spring and fall, respectively. Population projection showed a faster growth and higher damage potential of S. litura in the fall.
CONCLUSION
Population projections based on life tables and stage-specific consumption rates can reveal the stage structure and damage potential of the pest population. Our results showed that monitoring data obtained by using pheromone traps were not in concordance with the damage potential of the pest population. This approach offers a promising tool for pest management.
(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): Hsin Chi

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
damage/losses/economics
population dynamics/ epidemiology

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Spodoptera litura	Groundnut/peanut (Arachis hypogaea)	Taiwan