TEMPERATURE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND SURVIVAL OF RICE STEMBORERS IN LABORATORY CONDITIONS

Abstract  The effect of seven constant temperatures from 10 to 40°C (10, 15, 20, 25 30, 35 and 40°C) on the development of eggs, larvae and pupae of rice stemborers viz., Chilo polychrysa (Meyrick), C. suppressalis (Walker), C. partellus (Swinhoe), Scirpophaga incertulas (Walker), S. innotata (Walker) and Sesamia inferens (Walker) were studied. The mean developmental period among constant temperatures (in days) of egg, larva and pupa of six borers differed significantly ( P < 0.0001). The mean percent of development per day of egg, larva and pupa of all borers gradually increased with the increase of constant temperatures. The total developmental period was inversely decreased with the increase of constant temperatures. The lower threshold temperature was found between 10–15°Cand higher threshold temperature between 35–40°C, where no development took place. The mean developmental zero was 8.57±1.71, 7.70±1.01, 8.56±3.25, 10.19±2.19, 8.64±2.68 and 7.91±0.82 for egg, larva and pupa of above-mentioned borers respectively. The total thermal constant of egg, larva and pupa was 705.56, 725.32, 703.30, 556.59, 655.34 and 837.95 degree- days for C. polychrysa, C. suppressalis, C. partellus, S. incertulas, S. innotata and S. inferens respectively. The degree- days required for oviposition of female moths of the six borers was calculated as 99.06, 90.85, 99.29, 75.16, 92.25 and 80.41 respectively. The total degree- days required completing a generation was 804.62, 816.17, 802.59, 631.75, 648.84 and 918.36 respectively.