Influence of sorghum and millet diets on the survival, development and oviposition of the stem borer, Busseola fusca
DOI:10.36108/NJE/8891/90.0110
ADESlYUN, A.A.
ABSTRACT: The stem borer, Busseole fusca, normally a pest of sorghum and maize, was observed in earlier studies to also oviposit to a lesser degree on millet when interplanted with sorghum and/ or maize. In this study, the survival, development and oviposition of the adults that fed as larvae either on sorghum or millet were compared in the laboratory. Larval mortality was 39% and 85% on sorghum and millet respectively. Pupal mortality was 6.5% on sorghum and 26.7% on millet. The larvae, pupae and adults which developed on millet were smaller in size and also weighed less than those that developed on sorghum. The larval stage took longer to complete on millet than on sorghum, but there were no significant differences in the period taken to complete the pupal and adult stages on the two plants. Adults from millet had longer pre-oviposition periods and laid significantly fewer eggs than those which fed as larvae on sorghum