Age-stage two-sex life table analysis of Sesamia nonagrioides (Lep.: Noctuidae) reared on different host plants

The effects of maize and sugarcane were studied on the demographic parameters of Sesamia nonagrioides under controlled environmental conditions. Life table parameters were estimated using age-stage two-sex life table method. Total developmental times of immature stages were 53.51 ± 0.42 and 39.58 ± 0.14 days on maize and sugarcane, respectively. The fecundity values were found to be 93.07 ± 2.94 and 122.95 ± 6.72 eggs/female on maize and sugarcane, respectively. Based on the analysis, the intrinsic rates of increase (r) and the mean generation time (T) of S. nonagrioides were determined as 0.0909 ± 0.0027 and 0.0579 ± 0.0021 day^?1; 42.09 ± 0.21 and 56.83 ± 0.63 days on sugarcane and maize, respectively. Consequently, the sugarcane was a better host for development and population increase of S. nonagrioides than maize. These results can be used to predict population dynamics of the pest on the natural hosts and to improve mass rearing technique on natural diets in insectariums.