Demographic Analysis of the Fitness of Problepsis superans (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) Feeding on Three Ligustrum (Lamiales: Oleaceae) Species

• Published in: Journal of economic entomology 2014-06, Vol.107 (3), p.1045-1054
• Main Authors: Hu, Liang-Xiong, Chen, Ye, He, Zheng-Sheng, Zou, Zhi-Wen, Xia, Bin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Animals; China; Demographics; ECOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR; Fecundity; Female; Females; Fertility; Fitness; Food Chain; Geometridae; Insect Control; Larva - growth & development; Larva - physiology; Lepidoptera; life table; Life Tables; Ligustrum; Ligustrum - growth & development; Ligustrum lucidum; Ligustrum quihoui; Ligustrum × vicaryi; Male; Moths - growth & development; Moths - physiology; Offspring; Pupa - growth & development; Pupa - physiology; Relative humidity; Reproduction; Species; Species Specificity
• ISSN: 0022-0493; 1938-291X; 0022-0493
• DOI: 10.1603/EC13468

Using the age-stage, two-sex life table, the effects of three ligustrum species, Ligustrum × vicaryi Hort., Ligustrum quihoui Carrière, and Ligustrum lucidum Aiton, on the fitness of Problepsis superans (Butler, 1885) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) were assayed by considering life table parameters of P. superans at 27 ± 1°C, 70 ± 5% relative humidity, and a photoperiod of 16:8 (L: D) h. The means and SEs of population parameters were calculated using the jackknife and bootstrap methods. The total developmental time of larval stage of P. superans on L. × vicaryi was significantly shorter than that on L.. × vicaryi and L. quihoui, whereas higher fecundity was observed on L. × vicaryi. The highest value of the finite rate of increase was observed on L. × vicaryi. The intrinsic rate of increase of P. superans on L. × vicaryi, L. quihoui, and L. lucidum, was 0.147 ± 0.004, 0.130 ± 0.004, and 0.112 ± 0.005, respectively, which differed significantly among the three ligustrum species. The net reproductive rate varied from 122.8 ± 24.7 female offspring on L. lucidum to 242.2 ± 36.2 female offspring on L. × vicaryi. The lowest mean generation time was observed on L. × vicaryi. The gross reproductive rate of P. superans on the three ligustrum species did not significantly differ. Based on growth and population parameters, the suitability of the three ligustrum species to P. superans is ranked from high to low in the order as L. × vicaryi, L. quihoui, and L. lucidum.