INFLUENCE OF LARVAL FOOD ON NUMBER OF SPERMATOPHORES, FECUNDITY AND SOME BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS OF THE SPINY BOLLWORM, Earias insulana (BOISD.)

Experiments were carried out to study the effect of larval food types (cotton bolls, okra pods and artificial diet) on number of spermatophores, fecundity and total soluble protein, lipid and carbohydrate contents of the spiny bollworm, Earias insulana (Boisd.). The obtained results showed that the larvae reared on artificial diet gave the highest weight, while, those collected from cotton bolls gave the lowest weight. The lowest pupal mortality percentage and the highest adult emergence percentages, number of eggs/female and hatchability percentages recorded for the larvae obtained from artificial diet followed by those collected from okra pods and cotton bolls. Pupal duration, pre post- oviposition periods and male longevity were differed insignificantly as affected by feeding larvae on okra pods, cotton bolls and artificial diet. The newly emerged female moths from larvae collected from cotton bolls were recorded the lowest mean number of the eggs/ovariol and spermatophores, while, those emergence from larvae obtained from artificial diet was recorded the highest one. The highest value of total soluble protein, lipid and carbohydrate contents were recorded in larvae obtained from artificial diet followed by those collected from okra pods and cotton bolls.