Effects of Temperature on Development, Survival, and Fecundity of Potato Tuberworm, Phthorimaea operculella (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) on Potato Tubers

• Published in: American journal of potato research Vol. 89; no. 2; pp. 150 - 158
• Main Authors: Golizadeh, A., Razmjou, J., Rafiee-Dastjerdi, H., Hassanpour, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer-Verlag 01-04-2012; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agriculture; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Eggs; Fecundity; Females; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Life Sciences; Longevity; Offspring; Pest control; Pests; Plant Breeding/Biotechnology; Plant Genetics and Genomics; Plant Pathology; Plant Sciences; Potatoes; Temperature effects; Vegetables; Population growth parameters; Potato tuberworm; Life history; Fecundity; Population growth; Growth; Solanum tuberosum; Insecta; Temperature effect; Survival; Potato; Phthorimaea operculella; Pest; Arthropoda; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Lepidoptera; Tuber; Gelechiidae; Spermatophyta; Tuber plant; Solanaceae; Invertebrata
• ISSN: 1099-209X; 1874-9380
• DOI: 10.1007/s12230-012-9237-4

The potato tuberworm,
Phthorimaea operculella
(Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is one of the most economically damaging insect pests of potato (
Solanum tuberosum
L.) worldwide. The effects of temperature on performance of potato tuberworm was studied at six constant temperatures; 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, and 36°C. Potato tuberworm failed to survive at 36°C during the egg period. Total developmental time decreased with increasing temperature up to 32°C. Adult longevity was negatively correlated with temperature and the longest adult longevity was observed at 16°C. The average fecundity of females ranged from 45.3 eggs at 16°C to 117.3 eggs at 28°C. Net reproductive rate (
R
0
) ranged from 12.8 at 16°C to 43.2 at 28°C. Mean generation time (
T
) decreased with increasing temperatures from 61.0 days at 16°C to 16.2 days at 32°C. Mean generation time and doubling time had the highest value at 16°C. The intrinsic rate of increase (
r
m
) values ranged from 0.042 (female offspring/female/day) at 16°C to 0.228 (female offspring per female per day) at 28°C. The findings of this study may provide important information for designing a comprehensive pest management program for potato tuberworm especially in storerooms.