INFLUENCE OF ANTIBIOTICS, FORMALIN AND SODIUM HYPOCHLORITE ON PATHOGEN INFECTION AND SURVIVAL OF Helicoverpa armigera (Hub.)

B.G. CHITTI¹*, T. MADHUMATHI², H.C. SHARMA^3
1ICAR-Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University, Lam, Guntur, 522034, Andhra Pradesh, India
²Agricultural College, Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University, Lam, Guntur, 522034, Andhra Pradesh, India
³International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Patancheru, Hyderabad, 502324, Telangana, India
* Corresponding Author : bgchitti@gmail.com

Received : 06-12-2019     Accepted : 26-12-2019     Published : 30-12-2019
Volume : 11     Issue : 24       Pages : 9350 - 9353
Int J Agr Sci 11.24 (2019):9350-9353

Keywords : Legume pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera, Antibiotics, Formalin, Sodium hypochlorite, Survival and development
Academic Editor : Dr K. D. Shah, Negrete Jaime Cuauhtemoc, A.K. Singh, Dr K. D. Varnekar, Dr R. P. Saxena
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : Authors are thankful to Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University, Lam, Guntur, 522034, Andhra Pradesh, India. Authors are also thankful to International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Patancheru, Hyderabad, 502324, Telangana, India
Author Contribution : All authors equally contributed

Rearing of phytophagous insects such as H. armigera on artificial media rather than on their host plants is advantageous in a variety of investigations. But the laboratory cultures are often infected by the nuclear polyhedrosis virus (HaNPV), bacteria and microsporidia, which leads to discontinuity in insect populations/strains, and or inability to maintain insect strains with different attributes to carry out scientific research. Whereas, inclusion of antibiotics in enough doses in artificial diet can control mortality in laboratory reared insect populations. The highest larval survival (90.0%) was recorded in insects reared on diets containing all the antibiotics, followed by those reared on the diets containing rifampicin and penicillin (87.8%). The adult emergence was also greater in insects reared on diets with all the antibiotics, and in diets with rifampicin (67.78%). Formalin had a significant effect on the larval survival, pupal weight, and fecundity of H. armigera. Highest fecundity (722.4 eggs/female) was recorded in insects reared on diets with 2.0% formalin. Sodium hypochlorite did not exhibit any significant effect on adult emergence of H. armigera. Sodium hypochlorite at 2.5-3.0% was found to be effective in reducing pathogen infection and the proportion of healthy adults was 84.0, 85.5, 89.3% in first, second, third generations, respectively.

1. Sharma H.C. (2005) Heliothis/Helicoverpa management; emerging trends and strategies for future research. Oxford and IBH Publishers, New Delhi, India. 469.
2. Manjunath T.M., Bhatnagar V.S., Pawar C.S. and Sitanathan S. (1985) In, Proceedings of a Workshop on Biological Control on Heliothis, Andhra Pradesh, India, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi Arid Tropics, pp. 11-15.
3. Lund F. and Tybring L. (1972) Nature (London), New Biology, 236, 135-137.
4. Retch M. and Puglisi J.D. (2001) Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 45(9), 2414-2419.
5. Getzin L. (1962) Journal of Insect Pathology, 4, 486-488.
6. Ignoffo C.M. (1963) Journal of Invertebrate Pathology, 5, 187–195.
7. Paschke J.D. (1964) Journal of Insect Pathology, 6, 248-251.
8. Roeder K.A., Kuriachan I., Vinson S.B. and Behmer S.T. (2010) Journal of Insect Science (Madison), 10, 197.
9. Vail P.V., Henneberry T.J., Kishaba A.N. and Arawaka K.Y. (1968) Journal of Inverbrate Pathology, 10 (1), 84-93.
10. Alverson J. (2003) Journal of Entomological Science, 38 (2), 278-285.
11. Grzegorczyk W. and Walker M.A. (1997) American Journal of Entomology and Viticulture, 48 (2), 157-159.
12. NICNAS (National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme) 1997. NICNAS Response to Requests for Variation of the Draft Formaldehyde Report. Dept. Health & Ageing, Australia Government.
13. Thompson C.G. and Steinhaus E.A. (1950) Hilgardia, 19, 411-445.
14. Battu G.S. and Ramakrishnan N. (1993) Indian Journal of Entomology, 55 (1), 100-103.
15. Araujo M.C. and Teixeira S.L. (1998) Reunia˜o de Programac¸a˜o de Pesquisas do CCTA-RESUMOS. Novembro de 1998. Centro de Cieˆncias e TecnologiasAgropecua´rias, UENF, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Resumo 154.
16. Araujo M.C. and Teixeira S.L. (1999) IV Encontro de Iniciac¸a˜oCient?´?ca da UENF. 03 a 05 de agosto de 1999. UniversidadeEstadual do Norte Fluminense, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ. Resumo D-29, pp. 81.
17. Teixeira S.L. (2005) Hort Bras (Suppl), 23,668.