Feeding preferences of neonates and late instar larvae of a lepidopterous pest complex (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on sorghum, maize, and noncrop vegetation in Honduras

Abstract

Feeding preferences of neonates and late-instar larvae of Spodoptera latifascia (Walker), S. frugiperda (J. E. Smith), and Metaponpneumata rogenhoferi (Moschler) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) were studied in the laboratory using leaf disk choice tests. S. latifascia neonates showed significant preference for Amaranthus sp. L., Portulaca oleracea L., Melampodium divaricatum (Rich. ex Pers.) DC., and Ixophorus unisetus (Presl.) Schlecht over sorghum, Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, or maize, Zea mays (L.). Ipomoea sp., probably I. purpurea (L.) Jacq., was preferred over sorghum. They showed no marked preference between sorghum and maize. S. frugiperda neonates preferred Amaranthus sp. and I. unisetus over sorghum and maize, but sorghum and maize were preferred over Ipomoea sp. S. latifascia reared on broadleaf species consumed more of the diet on which they were reared than they did of sorghum or maize when given a choice. S. frugiperda exhibited a similar response when reared on M. divaricatum. Induction of feeding preference and aversion learning occurred in both S. latifascia and S. frugiperda larvae when reared on selected hosts. M. rogenhoferi reared on sorghum or maize preferred other species when offered a choice.