Effect of different humidity levels on the biology of long tailed mealybug, Pseudococcus longispinus (Targ. & Tozzeti) (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae)
1996
Gillani, W.A. | Copland, M. (Wye Coll., Kent (United Kingdom). Dept. of Biological Sciences) | Hashmi, A.A.
Pseudococcus longispinus (Targ. & Tozzeti) species attacks many fruit trees, crop plants, vegetables and ornamental as well as greenhouse plants in temperate climates. The laboratory stock culture of P. longispinus was raised on butternut squashes at 27 plus minus 1 Centigrade and 65 plus minus 5% R.H. The effects of different humidity levels i.e. 35%, 55%, and 75% at 27 plus minus 1 Centigrade on the biology of P. longispinus were studied. The humidity has no significant effect on the number of crawlers produced. The average number of crawlers at 75% R.H. was 196 plus minus 19.8 decreasing to 164 plus minus 12.8 at 35% R.H. No effect of humidity on the development time of the preadult stages for males, on the duration of the pre-adult stages in females and on the pre-larviposition and larviposition periods. However, humidity seems to have a small effect on the sex ratio (Number of males per 100 females). This ratio slightly increased with the decrease in humidity levels. The sex ratio was 108.15 plus minus 1.78 at 75% R.H., 112.36 plus minus 1.11 at 55% R.H. and 113.92 plus minus 0.71 at 35% R.H.
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