EFFECT OF HOST PLANT SECONDARY CHEMICALS ON FOOD UTILIZATION OF DAPHNIS NERII (LINN.) (LEPIDOPTERA : SPHINGIDAE)
R. BABU *
DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY, DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY, BHARATHIAR UNIVERSITY, COIMBATORE - 641046, INDIA. LAB. OF SIGNAL SELECTION,
N. SENTHIILIKUMAR SENTHIILIKUMAR *
DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY, DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY, BHARATHIAR UNIVERSITY, COIMBATORE - 641046, INDIA. LAB. OF SIGNAL SELECTION,
D. JEYABALAN *
DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY, DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY, BHARATHIAR UNIVERSITY, COIMBATORE - 641046, INDIA. LAB. OF SIGNAL SELECTION,
S. STVARAMAKRISHNAN *
DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY, DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY, BHARATHIAR UNIVERSITY, COIMBATORE - 641046, INDIA. LAB. OF SIGNAL SELECTION,
R. KAVITHA *
DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY, DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY, BHARATHIAR UNIVERSITY, COIMBATORE - 641046, INDIA. LAB. OF SIGNAL SELECTION,
K. MURUGAN *
SELECTION, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF SERICULTURAL AND ENTO-MOLOGICAL SCIENCES, TSUKUBA, IBARAKI - 305, JAPAN.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Influence of age correlated host leaf secondary chemicals of Nerium oleander on food utilization of Daphnis nerii (Linn.) is provided. Amount of food consumed as well as the efficiency ofingested (ECI) and digested (ECD) food were decreased onsenescent leaves fed insects than other leaf stages. This suggests that the bio-availability of nutrients are blocked by leaf secondary plant chemicals like phenolics and cyanogenic glycosides, which are present higher in senescent leaves. The results are interpreted and discussed.