A QUANTITATIVE STUDY OF CONSUMPTION AND UTILIZATION OF VARIOUS DIETS IN THE BERTHA ARMYWORM, MAMESTRA CONFIGURATA (LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUIDAE)

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Abstract
Differential survival, growth, and egg production were obtained for the bertha armyworm, Mamestra configurata Wlk., feeding on four natural host plants and one artificial diet. Highest survival, growth, and egg production were obtained among insects reared on the artificial diet. Foliage of potato was the only food which appeared to lack the nutritive qualities essential for adequate survival, growth, and reproduction. Larvae reared on this plant consumed significantly less food, had a poorer survival, accumulated less reserves in the form of tissue growth, developed into smaller pupae, and produced adults that were less fecund than those reared on other foods. Despite these differences, the approximate digestibility (AD), the efficiency of conversion of ingested food to body tissue (ECI), and the efficiency of conversion of digested food to body substance (ECD) obtained for insects feeding on potato, were very similar to values obtained for insects which were reared on other plants. On each diet a linear relationship was obtained between food consumption and growth.