Strains in the common cutworm, Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) with differing host ranges

Abstract

The larvae of two strains of Spodoptera litura, Ishihara and Sumitomo, supplied by Ishihara Sangyo Co. Ltd. and Sumitomo Chemical Co. Ltd., respectively, were raised on an artificial diet until last larval-larval ecdysis, and their growth and survival were compared when fed on leaves from 15 different plants known as host plants of this species. The Ishihara strain grew better and a higher percentage of larvae pupated when fed on spinach, leaf mustard, tomato, Chinese kale, taro, green pepper, red pepper or eggplant, compared with the Sumitomo strain. Whereas, much lower percentage of the larvae of the Sumitomo strain pupated especially on the last four plants, indicating that these plants were not suitable diets for larvae of this strain. The presence of strains differing in their host ranges is discussed in relation to the migration of S. litura.