Comparative life parameters of Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) reared on chickpea under laboratory conditions

The biology of H. armigera reared on organically and traditionally grown chickpea showed maximum and minimum egg hatching of 89.82 and 80.59 per cent, respectively. The mean pre-oviposition, oviposition and post oviposition periods of H. armigera female was (2.92±0.86, 6.32±1.24 and 1.72±1.20) days on organically grown chickpea, while (2.48±0.50, 5.32±1.21 and 1.64±1.18) days on traditionally grown chickpea. The maximum mean fecundity was 220.20 ± 17.63 on organically grown chickpea and minimum (186.60±10.68) on traditionally grown chickpea. The incubation period on traditionally grown chickpea (3.84±0.84 days) and (4.44 ± 1.08) days on organically grown chickpea. The minimum larval developmental period of 24.92± 2.23 days was noted on traditionally grown chickpea, whereas, it was maximum (25.92 ± 2.79 days) on organically grown chickpea. Similarly, the length and breadth of pre-pupae (25.49±1.72 and 6.12±0.31 mm) and pupae (20.53±2.12 and 6.73±0.36 mm for male and 22.86 ± 3.40 and 7.15 ± 0.28 for female) was maximum on organically grown chickpea and minimum of (25.43±1.97 and 6.08±0.36 mm) for pre-pupa, (18.95±1.83 and 6.47±0.45 mm) for male pupa and (22.81 ± 3.18 and 7.08 ± 0.32 mm) for female pupa was measured on traditionally grown chickpea. The minimum pre-pupal (2.88 ± 1.12 days) and pupal periods (8.00 ± 0.81 and 9.08 ± 1.35 days for male and female) were recorded on traditionally grown chickpea, while maximum (2.96 ± 1.05 days pre-pupal and 8.60 ± 1.11 and 9.6 ± 1.47 days male and female pupal periods) on organically grown chickpea. Among two hosts the longevity of male and female was recorded as maximum with a mean of (6.56±1.08 and 10.04±1.42 days) on organically grown chickpea and minimum with a mean of (5.68 ± 1.14 and 10.36 ± 1.18 days), respectively on traditionally grown chickpea. The sex ratio of male to female was 1: 0.89 and 1: 0.78 on organically and traditionally grown chickpea. On the basis of growth index, organically grown chickpea (3.55) was the most preferred host over traditionally grown chickpea (3.33) for H. armigera.