Oviposition and Longevity of Chinch Bugs on Seedlings Growing in Nutrient Solutions

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Abstract
Studies were made on the oviposition and longevity of the chinch bug, Blissus levcopterus, when confined to Atlas sorgo and Finney milo seedlings growing in 7 different nutrient solns. This insect laid more eggs on plants growing in high-N than in low-N soln., and in low-P than in the high-P soln. The chem. analysis of the plants used in these tests indicated that the amt. of N was approx. the same for the 2 sorghum vars. when grown in similar solns. In most cases, the P content of the Atlas sorgo plants was higher than that found in the Finney milo plants, though apparently not enough so to be responsible for the much lower oviposition and shorter life of the chinch bugs caged on Atlas sorgo. In most solns. where the N/P ratio was low, the total and average daily egg deposition per [female] was also low, but when this ratio was high, the chinch bugs did not always lay a large number of eggs.