Agric. Sci. Digest, 22 (3) : 213 - 214,2002 BIOLOGY OF JANATA LINNEAUS ON CASTOR AND ROSE N.K.S. Bhadauria, U.C. Singh and U.S. Dwivedi Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, JNKW Campus, Gwalior - 474 002, India ABSTRACT Biology ofAchaeajanata Linneaus was studied on the two principal hosts viz., castor and rose to find suitable host for development of this under laboratory conditions. Castor was found more suitable host than rose on the basis of more number of eggs, shorter larval and pupal period with lower larval and pupal mortality and higher per cent adult emergence.

The castor semilooper, Achaeajanata with filter paper. The adults emerging on the (: Noctuidati} is a serious pest of same day (Male, female) were paired and castor in many castor growing states of India. released for egg laying in oviposition cages (45 Besides castor, it feeds on different host plants x 45 x 45 cm). Honey sulution (5%) was like , rose, dudhi etc. Food plants provided as foot to adults. Observations on play a vital role in the development, survival various developmental stages Le. eggs to adults and reproductive potential of (Painter, were recorded on both the hosts. Experiment 1951). The present contribution deals with was performed in four sets. the stYEIies on the biology of the pest on castor The number of eggs laid on castor was and rose. more (535.3 ± 26.8 egs/female) than rose The biology of castor semi looper was :(250.4 ± 12.5/female) (Table 1). Gaikwad studied in the laboratory. Department of et al (1993) reported average fecundity of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Gwalior 636.0 and 389.4 eggs on castor and rose during kharifl998. For this purpose, Larvae respectively. Percentage survial of the eggs was in advanced stage were collected from the field more (89.3 ± 4.5) on castor and less (786 ± and released on leaves of castor and rose in 4.0) on rose but Byale and Bilapata (1990) glass jars (lOx i 5 cm) and were allowed to reported more viability. of eggs on an average pupate. Pupa were transf~rred to other glass of 92.0 per cent on castor. jars having foam sheets at the botton covered

Table 1. Fecundity, viability of eggs, duration of life stag~. larval and pupal mortality and adult emergence of Achaeajana/fJ L. Parameters ------Hosts Castor Rose Fecundity 535.5±26.8 250.4±12.5 Viability of egg (%) 89.3±4.5 78.6±4.0 Egg period (Days) 2.05±0.65 2.85±0.18 Larval period (Days) 1O.38±1:52 21.31±2.01 Pupal period (Days) 9.80±0.84 14.55±1.23 Larval mortality (%) 3.6±0.42 15.8±1.36 Pupal rhortality (%) 1.8±0.21 13.8±1.2 Adult emergence (%) 95±9.2 61.42±6.8

The average egg period was same on with than of Gaikwad et al (1993). Khan both the hosts. These findings are in agreement (1946) noted t~at egg stage lasted from 3 to 4 214 AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE DIGEST days on castor but it ranged from 3 to 5 days The mean pupal period was lesser (9.80 ± on castor (Pandey et ai, 1967). The a~erage 0.84) on castor than on rose (14.55 ± 1.23). larval period was shorter on castor (10.38 ± But Gaikwad and Bilapate (1993) recorded 1.52) than longer on rose (21.31 ± 2.01) but mean pupal duration of 9.24 days on castor Gaikwad (1993) recorded larval duration was and 11.56 days on rose respectively. completed 11.71 and 24.31 days on castor According to Pandey et al (1967) the pupal and rose respectively. According to Khan period ranged from 7 to 26 days on castor. (1946) larval period was completed in 12 to The pupal period occupied 10 to 15 days on 13 days on castor. The larval mortality was castor layers (Srivastava and Pandey, 1966). observed to be maximulTl on rose (15.8 ± 1.36) The pupal mortality observed to be higher on and minimum on castor (3.6 ± 0.42). rose (12.8 ± 1.2) as compared to castor (1.8 According to Gaikwad and Bilapate (1993) the ± 0.21). The percentage of adults developed mortality of larvae was more in tested host plant was higher in castor (95 ± 92) than rose(61.4 (Pomegranata, dudhi and rose) except castor.' ± 6.8).

REFERENCES Byale, A.N. and Bilapate, G.G. (1990). J. Maharashtra Agric. Univ. 15:10-12. Gaikwad, B.B. and Bilapate, G.G. (1993). J. Maharashtra Agric. Univ. 18: 1-2. Gaikwad, B.B. et al (1993). J. Maharashtra Agric. Univ. 18:2-4. Khan, M.C. (1946). IndianJ. Ent. 7:111-115. Painter, R.N. (1951). Insect Resistance in Crop Plants. Macmillan, New York. Pandey, N.D. etal. (1967). LabdevJ. Sci. Technol5: 127-128. Srivastava, RP. and Pandey, Y.D. (1966). Ann. Arid. Zone. 5:87-96.