Effect of Temperature on Development and Life Table Parameters of Fall Armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Abstract

The effect of constant temperatures (23º, 27º, and 32±1ºC) on the development and life table of Spodoptera frugiperda that reared on the maize host plant was examined. The developmental times of all stages (eggs to adults) decreased linearly when temperature increased. The incubation period of the egg stage decreased significantly from 4.8 to 1.37 days when the temperature increased from 23° to 32±1°C. Temperature significantly affected on development of immature stages and subsequently the total generation time. The total immature duration lasted 47.07, 27.13, and 14.47 days at 23°, 27° and 32°C respectively. Temperature also significantly affected the life table estimates of S. frugiperda . The highest fecundity (717.67 eggs/♀), hatchability percent (94.29%), and net reproductive rate R 0 ; (85.38 females/female) of S. frugiperda were estimated at 27°C, whereas the highest intrinsic rate of natural increase r m , (1.18 times/female/day) and finite rate of increase e rm (1.20 times/female/day) of S. frugiperda were estimated at 32 °C.