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Monitoring Spodoptera Litura (F) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Using Sex Attractant Traps: Effect of Trap Height and Time of the Night on Moth Catch

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Abstract—

The Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Programme under development at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) calls for a proper monitoring system. Experiments conducted in groundnut fields at ICRISAT Center near Hyderabad, in peninsular India, to establish the optimum height for pheromone traps to monitor Spodoptera lituta (F), indicated that the male flight pattern changes considerably during the cropping period. During the seedling stage (sowing to 6 weeks), most moths were caught at 0.5 and 1.0 m. In the initial growth phase (7-11 weeks), the traps at 4.0 m caught most moths. During the optimum growth phase (12th week to harvest) of the crop the traps at 1.0 m height trapped most moths. After harvest, the traps at 4.0 m again recorded the highest catch. These data are interpreted in terms of the migration pattern of S. litura moths during the crop season. We suggest monitoring this species, using 1 m height traps.

Males were found to be more active around 0300 hr, with a small peak after sunset (2000 hr). Irrespective of season, the peak flight activity of this species was around 0300 hr in groundnut fields.

Résumé

Le programme de lutte intégrée développé à l’International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) passe par la mise en place d’un système de surveillance efficace. Des expériences ont été menées dans des parcelles d’arachide au Center ICRISAT près d’Hyderabad (Inde) pour déterminer la hauteur optimum des pièges à phéromones utilisés pour surveiller les populations de Spodoptera litura F. Les résultats montrent que l’activité de vol des mâles varie pendant la période de croissance de l’arachide. Au stade plantule (semis à 6 semaines) la plupart des mâles sont capturés dans des pièges placés entre 0,5 et 1,0 de hauteur. Pendant la phase de croissance initiale (7-11 semaines) les pièges placés à 4,0 m, capturent plus de mâles. Après la récolte, les pièges placés à 4,0 m de hauteur capturent à nouveau le plus grand nombre de mâles. Ces résultats sont iterprétés en fonction de l’activité de vol de S. litura pendant la période de culture. Les pièges à phéromone placés à 1,0 m de hauteur nous semblent les plus efficaces pour évaluer le niveau d’abondance des populations de ce ravageur.

Les mâles sont plus actifs vers 0300 hr et, dans une moindre mesure, au crépuscule (2000 hr). Le pic d’activité de vol de ce ravageur se situe donc autour de 0300 hr dans les champs d’arachide, indépendemment de la saison.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Patancheru, Andhra Pradesh, 502 324, India

    G. V. Ranga Rao, J. A. Wightman & D. V. Ranga Rao

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  1. G. V. Ranga Rao
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  2. J. A. Wightman
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  3. D. V. Ranga Rao
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Submitted as JA No. 872 by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT).

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Ranga Rao, G.V., Wightman, J.A. & Ranga Rao, D.V. Monitoring Spodoptera Litura (F) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Using Sex Attractant Traps: Effect of Trap Height and Time of the Night on Moth Catch. Int J Trop Insect Sci 12, 443–447 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742758400011346

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742758400011346

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