BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND HEAT REQUIREMENTS FOR Coccinella undecimpunctata – Sitobion avenae AND Coccinella 9-punctata – Aphis craccivora FEEDING SYSTEMS AT VARYING TEMPERATURE REGIMES

Bayoumy, M. H.; Abou-Elnaga, A. M.; A. A. Ghanim, A. A. Ghanim A. A. Ghanim; Mashhoot, Gh. A.

doi:10.21608/jppp.2015.74682

BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND HEAT REQUIREMENTS FOR Coccinella undecimpunctata – Sitobion avenae AND Coccinella 9-punctata – Aphis craccivora FEEDING SYSTEMS AT VARYING TEMPERATURE REGIMES

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Economic Entomology Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Mansoura University,

10.21608/jppp.2015.74682

Abstract

Laboratory experiments were carried out to examine some biological characteristics and heat requirements of the two coccinellid species; viz. Coccinella undecimpunctata L. and Coccinella 9-punctata L. (Coccinellidae: Coleoptera) when reared on Sitobionavenae(F.)and Aphis craccivora Koch (Aphididae: Hemiptera)at varying constant temperature regimes of 18, 23, 28, and 33 ˚C, respectively. The obtained results showed that the developmental time of C. undecimpunctataand C. 9-punctataimmature stages declined as temperature degrees increased with the shortest developmental time was recorded at 33 ˚C which lasted 15.29 ± 0.98 and 14.00 ± 1.35 days, respectively. Daily larval consumption increased as both temperature and larval age increased with the highest consumption for the fourth instars at 33 ˚C which recorded by 99.71 ± 14.49 and 105.40 ± 10.54 for C. undecimpunctata and C. 9-punctata, respectively. Female and male longevities for both predator species increased as temperature decreased, whereas the females’ fecundity increased as temperature increased. Furthermore, the total consumption of female and male of both species increased as temperature increased with the highest consumption recorded during the oviposition period. The total consumption of females was higher than that of males for both predator species, and the corresponding daily consumption values were higher for females than those of males at varying temperatures. The developmental rates for all stages of both species declined as temperature decreased. The lower developmental threshold (T₀) recorded the lowest for pupal and larval stages of C.undecimpunctata and C.-9 punctata, respectively. The corresponding amount of heat units which required to completing the development of C. undecimpunctata and C. 9-punctata averaged 380.73± 27.71 and 363.83 ± 14.44dd’s, respectively.This study showed that C. undecimpunctata and C. 9-punctatasuccessfully complete their development in a wide range of temperatures from 18 to 33 ˚C, indicating their high potential for use in biological control programs against S. avenaeand A. craccivora, respectively.

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