Artificial Corn-Based Diet for Rearing Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Abstract

Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith, 1797) is considered a key pest of maize. However, the artificial diets used for rearing this insect in the laboratory do not contain corn. The aim of this study was to evaluate the biology and to compare the food consumption by S. frugiperda, as well as the food preference of the larvae in the standard diet and the corn-based diet. Three of the following diets were evaluated: a standard diet based on beans (D1), a diet with corn flour as substitute for wheat germ (D2), and a diet replacing beans with green corn (D3). The biological parameters evaluated were period and survival of larvae and pupae; weight of male and female pupae; sex ratio; fecundity; egg incubation period; and adult longevity. The nutritional indices were determined and the biological data obtained were used to determine the parameters of fertility life tables; we also performed a multiple-choice test (feeding test). Larval development of S. frugiperda occurred in all three diets, although without oviposition by females developed from larval fed on D2. There was no difference among the diets in relation to the fertility life table parameters. The diet D2 resulted in better ingestion, digestion, assimilation, and conversion of food, but was associated with a metabolic cost to assimilate the food. Using a multiple-choice test, we observed that the larvae preferred diet D2. Based on our results, the most adequate diets for rearing S. frugiperda in the laboratory are D1 and D3.

Performance of Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Fed on Six Host Plants: Potential Risks to Mid-high Latitude Crops in China

“…In the current experiment, S. frugiperda larvae fed on corn had higher nutritional indices than other hosts, which is consistent with the view of the previous study that corn could increase the consumption and nutrition of this pest (Pinto et al, 2019). The shorter larval and pupal period, the faster life cycle, the heavier pupal weight and the higher nutritional indices of S. frugiperda were recorded on corn compared to other host plants, indicating that corn was the most suitable host for S. frugiperda development.…”

“…Recently, numerous researches on biology and nutrition have been carried out. The focus of these studies was based on different varieties of the same crop (Naseri et al, 2010;Rosa-Cancino et al, 2016;Barcelos et al, 2019), genetically-modified plants (Ramalho et al, 2011;Sousa et al, 2016), or artificial diets (Pinto et al, 2019;Truzi et al 2019). Less research compared the life parameters among different hosts.…”

Rapid identification of the invasive fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) using species-specific primers in multiplex PCR

“…An effective species recognition approach for FAW identification would be beneficial for establishing management strategies. On the basis of the biological habits of FAWs, FAW development from larva to adult requires approximately 30 days to establish its second generation in a new invasive area 1,31 . Because the damage related to FAW invasion predominantly occur in their larval stage, a rapid identification method is urgently required, especially considering that identifying the young larvae is more difficult than other larval instars and adults.…”

“…Although a draft genome assembly of FAWs was published by Kakumani et al 30 , a convenient, quick, and easy molecular identification method for FAW is still undeveloped. Compared with DNA barcodes, specific primers can shorten the time of DNA product purification and sequencing for species identification from at least 2 days to 4 h. Thus, developing specific primers will be helpful to survey FAWs in pest-free countries because the transition of a FAW from larva to adult requires approximately 30 days 1,31 .…”

Artificial Diet Influences Population Growth of the Root Maggot Bradysia impatiens (Diptera: Sciaridae)

“…Artificial diets can make insects grow orderly and have consistent physiology, and solve the shortage of seasonal food and the difficulty of large-scale indoor breeding ( Iain and George 2004 , Cai et al 2016 , Pinto et al 2019 ), which are the bottlenecks in B. impatiens research. In addition, using artificial diets to rear insects could promote better knowledge about biology, behavior, and nutritional requirements of insects, and such information is the basis for further management ( Pinto et al 2019 ). However, studies involving in artificial diets affected the population parameters of B. impatiens are scarce.…”