Impact of differential feeding on the growth and development of Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner).

The growth and development of Helicoverpa armigera was observed in the laboratory by feeding them on different foods viz; leaf, flower and fruit of lady finger, cotton, pigeon pea and chick pea. Based on the food ingested, food digested and food excreted as well as on weight and size of the larvae and the duration of larval period, the fruit of chick pea was found to be the most suitable food for H. armigera development, as the food ingesta and food digesta of the larvae on pigeon pea were more than on the other plants. On the pigeon pea pod the larval growth and development was fast and larval duration was short. Next to the fruit, the larvae preferred the leaf of lady finger and cotton and flower of pigeon pea. The results suggested that the larval growth and development was dependent on the feed i.e. both on the part and the type of the plant.