Observational analysis reveals fecundity and survival rates in C. nivea across four host plants, suggesting optimal conditions for Trichogramma production.
Chionarctia nivea Ménétriès (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae) eggs serve as an effective host for the mass-rearing various Trichogramma species. This study utilized age–stage, 2-sex life tables to assess the effects of 4 host plants, maize (Zea mays L.), Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa L. ssp. pekinensis), pakchoi (Brassica campestris L. ssp. chinensis), and soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.), on the biology and life table parameters of C. nivea. The results indicated that C. nivea reared on maize and Chinese cabbage exhibited significantly shorter preadult development durations and higher preadult survival rates compared to those reared on pakchoi and soybean. Fecundity was highest on Chinese cabbage (2,388.27 eggs/female), which was significantly higher than on the other hosts. Similarly, the net reproduction rate (R0) was highest on Chinese cabbage (716.48 eggs/female), surpassing those recorded on maize, pakchoi, and soybean. The intrinsic rate of increase (r) was significantly higher for populations reared on maize (0.10 d−1) and Chinese cabbage (0.10 d−1) compared to those on pakchoi (0.07 d−1) and soybean (0.05 d−1), with no significant difference observed between maize and Chinese cabbage. Conversely, the finite rate of increase (λ) showed no significant variation the 4 host plants. Collectively, these results suggest that Chinese cabbage is the most suitable host for the mass-rearing C. nivea, facilitating enhanced production of Trichogramma spp. production for biological control programs.
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Zhao et al. (2025) studied this question.
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