Life Cycle of Chilo zacconius Blensynski (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) on Artificial Diet in The Laboratory

The African striped stemborer Chilo zacconius (Blensynski) is a major pest of rice in Nigeria. The life cycle of the African striped stemborer C. zacconius was assessed under laboratory conditions. The egg incubation period was 5.08 ± 0.19 days. while the mean duration of the I,II, III, IV, V instars were 4.97 ± 0.14, 6.73 ± 0.28, 8.13 ± 0.38,9.00 ± 0.46, 8.00 ± 0.31 days respectively. Pupal duration was observed in 6.00 ± 0.19 days while the average emergence of the adult was 3.42 ± 0.15 days. Fecundity rate of the striped stem borer ranged from 80-150 eggs. The adult life span of the stem borer ranged between 3 to 4 days while the total life cycle is completed within 40 to 65 days. The morphometrics of all stages were also recorded accordingly. Additional research is still required to determine the optimal artificial diet for the mass rearing of C. zacconius, as this will enhance the development of tailored strategies to mitigate its harm while fostering the sustainability of rice farming