The effect of shade on the oviposition of Lamprosema lateritialis Hampson (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) on its host plant [Pericopsis elata].
1986
Atuahene, S. K. N.
The oviposition of Lamprosema lateritialis on seedlings of its host plant, Pericopsis elata (Harms) van Meeuwen, raised under three different shade regimes was investigated in the field for a period of three oviposition cycles. Results indicate that the egg laying cycle of one generation of the moth takes about 2.5 weeks to complete with a peak occurring about 8 days after initiation of oviposition. Total eggs laid during the period was in the order: Deep shade light shade No shade. An analysis of variance indicated significant differences (P.LT.0.01 in the number of eggs laid under various shade regimes. Although there was a tendency for the mean nitrogen content of the leaves to increase with increasing cover of shade, this difference was insignificant (P.GT.0.05) at the levels of shade investigated. Apart from moisture content of the leaves, no significant differences were observed for the dry matter and crude fibre contents of the leaves kept under the three types of shade. It seems probable that in L. lateritialis, physical more than chemical factors may determine the selection of oviposition substrates from its host plant.
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