Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #142641
Title: PECTINOPHORA GOSSYPIELLA (LEPIDOPTERA: GELECHIIDAE) AND HELIOTHIS VIRESCENS (LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUIDAE): EFFECT OF MOTH EMERGENCE FROM HOT AND COLD TEMPERATURE TREATMENTS FROM TREATED LARVAE AND PUPAE

Author
item CHU, CHANG CHI
item HENNEBERRY, THOMAS

Submitted to: Subtropical Plant Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/1/2003
Publication Date: 10/23/2003
Citation: CHU, C., HENNEBERRY, T.J. PECTINOPHORA GOSSYPIELLA (LEPIDOPTERA: GELECHIIDAE) AND HELIOTHIS VIRESCENS (LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUIDAE): EFFECT OF MOTH EMERGENCE FROM HOT AND COLD TEMPERATURE TREATMENTS FROM TREATED LARVAE AND PUPAE. SUBTROPICAL PLANT SCIENCE. 2003. V 54 39-44.

Interpretive Summary: Pink bollworm (PBW) and tobacco budworm (TBW) occurred in the cotton fields in the Imperial Valley, California at the same time since early 1980's based on the trap records we have. PBW had been an economic pest, but TBW was not. A study in laboratory and field insectary was conducted from 1988 to 1990 to explore the reasons for this phenomenon. Results suggest that air temperature is the key for the different pest status for the two. PBW tolerated temperatures as high as 46 C for 4 hours while TBW was forced into summer diapause under the same conditions. TBW may tolerate temperatures as low as -2 C for 120 h but the freezing temperatures did not often occur in the winter.

Technical Abstract: We conducted studies to determine the effects on adult emergence following hot and cold temperature exposures of larvae and pupae of pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) (PBW) and tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens (F.) (TBW). PBW moth emergence was not affected by exposure of larvae or pupae to temperatures as high as 46 C for 4 h. TBW moth emergence was reduced following exposure of larvae or pupae to 44 C for 4 h. TBW pupae were more tolerant than PBW pupae to cold temperatures as low as -2 C for 120 h. These results suggest the high temperature tolerance for PBW compared with TBW and may partially explain the higher numbers of pheromone-baited trap catches of PBW from 1981 to 1988 and its long term economic pest status of cotton in Imperial Valley, California. TBW larvae and pupae were more susceptible to high temperature but more tolerant to colder temperatures.