Effects of host plants on development and fecundity of Brontispa longissima (Gestro)

With Cocos nucifera,Hyophorbe lagenicaulis,Washingtonia filifera,Roystonea regia and Areca catechu as test host plants,this paper studied the effects of their un-spread leaves on the development and fecundity of experimental population of Brontispa longissima.The results showed that the development duration of one generation B.longissima fed on different hosts varied significantly,with the longest(72.8 days)on W.filifera and the shortest(39.8 days)on H.lagenicaulis.The average pupa weight of B.longissima was bigger on H.lagenicaulis than on the other four host plants,and the female B.longissima had the highest fecundity(157.6 ova)on W.filifera while the lowest one(65.2 ova)on A.catechu.The longevity of B.longissima adults fed on H.lagenicaulis was 207.52 days,being significantly longer than that on the other host plants.The trend index of experimental population of B.longissima fed on the five host plants was 53.57,54.98,48.56,20.46 and 11.54,respectively.