Abstract :
Armyworm, Spodoptera litura is a destructive pest of several agricultural and horticultural crops all over the world including Pakistan. The life cycle of S. litura was checked on cage leaves under laboratory conditions during 2019. The incubation period was completed in 2-4 days with an average of 3.12 + 0.39 days. The colour of neonate larvae, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth instar was pale green, dark green, dark blue-green, dark blackish-brown and blackish brown, respectively. The average life period of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th larval instar was 3.34 + 0.32, 2.57 + 0.45, 3.49 + 0.45, 3.11 + 0.67, 3.33 + 0.87 and 2.98 ± 0.33 days, respectively. The pre-pupal and pupal periods was lasted 2-3 and 6-11 days, respectively. The female was long-lived than male. The longevity of males was 6-10 days while the female was 9-12 days. The ovipositional, pre-ovipositional and post ovipositional period was lasted 7.67 + 1.40, 1.74 + 0.51 and 1.78 + 0.45 days, respectively. The study showed that cabbage is a suitable host for pest growth and development and larvae feed vigorously to cabbage leaves.
Keyword :
Cabbage, Spodoptera litura, Lepidoptera, Biology, Morphology.