EFFECT OF CONSUMPTION OF DIFFERENT HOSTS ON THE BODY WEIGHT OF SURFACE GRASSHOPPER, CHROTOGONUS TRACHYPTERUS LANCHARD (ORTHOPTERA PYRGOMORPHIDAE)

A laboratory study was carried out during 2006 at the department of Entomology, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, Pakistan to investigate the effects of consumption of different hosts on body weight of surface grasshopper, Chrotogonus trachypterus. Different host plants provided for the experiment were: okra, Abelmoschus esculentus L.; cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L.; china rose, Hibiscus rosassinensis L.; Akk, Calotropis procera AitR.Br and sunflower, Helianthsu annuus L. The highest average food consumption was recorded when C. trachypterus fed on sunflower (2.20 g), followed by okra (1.77 g) and cotton (1.73 g), the least consumption of food was recorded on china rose. The leaf area consumption (cm^2) on different host plants varied significantly on different host plants. The highest body weight attained was on sunflower (0.1453 g) followed by cotton (0.1330) and okra (0.1265) respectively. Difference was also recorded on the longevity of C. trachypterus when fed on different host plants. Highest longevity was 116.8±4.515 days recorded on china rose and shortest on okra (109.6±3.682) days.