Larval survival of Spodoptera frugiperda Smith with artificial diet under laboratory conditions

Abstract

The use of artificial diets is essential for the mass-rearing of fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda Smith (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) for uses in an investigation of biological enemies. We evaluated the effect of artificial diets in the survival of larvae of S. frugiperda to determine its quality as a substrate and to compare it with the standard diet with white beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Two tests were realized: in the first one, we evaluated 14 diets with white beans, wheat flour, bran, wheat germ, integral flour, cornmeal and rice, and fresh grass, with two doses of water each. In the second test, promissory diets of the previous test were evaluated: white beans, white beans with water, the germ of wheat and bran. In this last test, no significant differences between treatments as far as the survival of larvae and longevity of the same were detected. The diets with wheat germ and bran with water, in the used compositions, can serve as alternatives to the diet used in the laboratory with white beans for the establishment of massive young of the armyworm for the accomplishment of tests