Modified Artificial Diet for Mass Rearing of Chickpea Pod Borer, Helicoverpa (Heliothis) Armigera (Hubn)

This paper reports on a comparison of a modified diet with other diets and procedures used in mass rearing of Helicoverpa armigera. The results on the biology of H. armigera reared on the modified diet for up to six consecutive generations indicate that the pupal recovery percentage ranged form 71.29.59 to 83.75.98; the adult energence percentage varied from 59.63.15 to 78.43.29.The maximum egg yield/female was recorded to be 273.313.6 in the first generation. The average cost to produce one pupa of this insect was calculated to be Rs. 0.60, which in equivalent ot half the cost of production per pupa using other diet formulas.