Effects of different host plants on the development and reproduction of Yellow Peach Moth, Conogethes punctiferalis (Guenee, 1854) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)

In order to determine the effects of different host plants on the fitness and performance of the Yellow Peach Moth, Conogethes punctiferalis (Guenee, 1854), experiments were carried out to test the developmental duration and reproduction of Co.punctiferalis by feeding larvae with chestnut Castanea mollissima, maize Zea mays, plum Prunus salicina, apple Malus pumila, pear Pyrus sorotina and peach Prunus persica. The results showed that there were significant differences in developmental duration and reproduction among Co.punctiferalis groups fed on different host plants. The longest larval duration was observed for groups fed on plum and apple (35.63 and 35.55 days, respectively). In contrast, the shortest was for larvae fed on maize and chestnut (21.61 and 21.77 days, respectively). Larval survival of Co.punctiferalis was lowest on plum (24.1%) and highest on maize (80.0%). Adult females developed from the larvae fed on chestnut and maize laid significantly more eggs (averagely 141.8 and 133.5 eggs per female, respectively) than those fed on the other four host plants. Analysis of life-table parameters indicated that Co.punctiferalis larvae fed on chestnut and maize had better performance than those larvae fed on plum, apple, pear and peach. These findings may aid our understanding of the population dynamics of Co.punctiferalis on different host plants.