Life history traits of melon ladybeetle, Epilachna chrysomelina (Col.: Coccinellidae), on four host plant species

Melon ladybeetle, Epilachna chrysomelina (F.), is one of the key insect pests of cucurbit crops in Asia and North Africa. The development and reproduction of E. chrysomelina were studied on watermelon, snake cucumber, cucumber and melon under laboratory conditions. Mean total life cycle from egg to adult female was ۲۱.۳, ۲۱.۷, ۲۶.۰, and ۲۱.۳ days on the mentioned host plants respectively. Mean immature mortality was ۷۰.۱۲%, ۷۷.۰۰%, ۷۶.۹۹% and ۷۹.۸۹% on the same four host plants. The female of E. chrysomelina oviposited means of ۲۱۲.۹۰, ۳۷۷.۸۵, ۱۶۸.۰۰ and ۱۹۴.۰۰ eggs and had a mean longevity of ۲۸.۷۷, ۴۸.۰۰, ۳۸.۵۵ and ۲۸.۳۶ days on watermelon, snake cucumber, cucumber and melon respectively. The net reproductive rate was ۳۴.۸۵, ۴۸.۸۲, ۲۲.۳۳ and ۱۷.۳۹ and daily intrinsic rate of increase was ۰.۰۹۵, ۰.۱۰۳, ۰.۰۷۳ and ۰.۰۷۷ on the respective plants. Life table statistics showed that snake cucumber was the most suitable host plant for E. chrysomelina, followed by watermelon and melon, with cucumber least suitable.

Keywords:

Epilachna chrysomelina , کدوئیان , زیستشناسی , پارامترهای جدول زندگی