Puncturing apple fruits increases survival of Grapholita molesta (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in laboratory rearing

Abstract

Grapholita molesta (Busck) is a major pest in orchards of apple, peach, and plum. For better rearing in the laboratory, we compared the life history characteristics of G. molesta by providing larvae with either punctured or unpunctured apple fruits. The development time of immatures and the fecundity of adult females were similar between punctured and unpunctured apples. However, the overall survival rate of G. molesta (larvae to adult emergence) was 1.7 times higher on punctured apples than unpunctured ones, resulting in a higher intrinsic rate of population increase. Therefore, punctured apples would be a better food source for rearing of G. molesta.