Biology and life cycle Of Diatraea busckella (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) under simulated altitudinal profile in controlled conditions

Diatraea busckella (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), a sugarcane borer, was recently reported in Valle del Cauca, Caldas, and Risaralda in Colombia. This fact puts sugarcane (S. officinarum) producers in a critical situation. The insufficient knowledge about Diatraea species phenomenology, biology, and the life cycle feature under different climate scenarios does not let the experts relate (with certainty) the population explosion with climate offer changes. The work was carried out at the Center for Research and Breeding of Natural Enemies, located in the botanical garden of the University of Caldas at 5.0563885°3′23″ north latitude and −75.49416675°29′39″ west longitude, at an altitude of 2,160 m above the sea level and an average temperature of 14°C (Manizales, Caldas). To cope with the lack of bio-meteorological information, an experimental approach, based on the simulation of sugar cane production environments, was designed for obtaining the relationship between air temperature and the life cycle of the sugarcane borer. Growth chambers were used to simulate the air temperature of five ambients (10, 20, 24.7, 30, and 35°C). Under low latitude conditions (5°N), the referred temperatures corresponded to x, y, z, a, and b. The cycles were completed up to the first oviposition by females; in addition, the direct relationship between air temperature and the insect’s development, reproduction, and survival was verified. The number of days of the larval stage was 40 days DS ± 16.7 ± 2 days from larva to pupae and 6 ± 1 more to reach the adult stage under controlled conditions under five different temperatures (10, 20, 24.7, 30, and 35°C). In addition, significant differences were found in development time under controlled conditions (20, 24.7, and 30°C). Diatraea busckella can become a significant pest due to the positive response in development when environmental scenarios have to change, specifically the increase in temperature.