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Determination of Thermal Constant and Development Threshold of Pink Borer, Sesamia inferens Walker

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Abstract

Effect of constant temperatures viz, 18 ± 1, 21 ± 1, 24 ± 1, 27 ± 1, 30 ± 1 and 33 ± 1 °C was studied on the egg, larval and pupal development of Sesamia inferens. Development rate of egg, larva and pupa gradually increased with increase in temperature, while total developmental period decreased. Mean developmental period of the pest decreased from 116.6 days at 18 ± 1 °C to 31.8 days at 33 ± 1 °C. The lowest and the highest temperatures at which no development took place were found to be 9 ± 1 and 39 ± 1 °C, respectively. Regression equations between development rate and temperature were found to be Y = 0.021X–0.290 (R2 = 0.94) for egg; Y = 0.002X–0.020 (R2 = 0.92) for small larva (1st–3rd instar); Y = 0.005X–0.056 (R2 = 0.76) for large larva (4th–5th instar) and Y = 0.006X–0.076 (R2 = 0.89) for pupa, respectively. Thermal constant for egg, small larva, large larva and pupa were determined as 47.6, 500.0, 200.0 and 166.7 degree days (DD), respectively with corresponding development threshold being 13.8, 10.0, 11.2 and 12.7 °C. Thermal constant to complete a generation was found to be 874.3 DD.

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Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) for providing financial assistance in the form of Senior Research Fellowship (SRF) and Head, Division of Entomology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi for providing facilities to conduct the present study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Crop Protection, Central Research Institute for Jute and Allied Fibres, Barrackpore, Kolkata, 700120, India

    K. Selvaraj

  2. Division of Entomology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110012, India

    Subhash Chander & N. R. Prasannakumar

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  1. K. Selvaraj
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  2. Subhash Chander
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  3. N. R. Prasannakumar
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Correspondence to K. Selvaraj.

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Selvaraj, K., Chander, S. & Prasannakumar, N.R. Determination of Thermal Constant and Development Threshold of Pink Borer, Sesamia inferens Walker. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., India, Sect. B Biol. Sci. 85, 659–662 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40011-014-0348-1

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