The Effect of Plant Host Type on the Life History of the Painted Bug Bagrada hilaris (Burmeister) in the Laboratory

Abstract

       The painted bug, Bagrada hilaris is a major pest of cruciferous crops in Iraq and worldwide, causing significant economic losses as both nymphs and adults feed on plant sap. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of the host plant species on which the insect was reared on the growth and development of its life stages and on the life history traits of the adults. The results showed that the insect has five nymphal instars, and the study also demonstrated the effect of crop type on the duration of the nymphal instars and the total duration of the nymphal period, with shorter durations observed on radish and rapeseed crops 29.75 and 30.44 days, respectively, while the durations were 36.19 and 40.33 days on cabbage and cauliflower crops, respectively. The survival rate of the nymphal stage was also affected by the host plant type, with the highest rate observed on radish at 91.67%, while the lowest survival rate was recorded on cabbage and cauliflower at 50.00 % on both crops. The results also showed that the host plant type influenced the number of eggs laid by adult insects, with 169.00 eggs/female on radish, while adults laid 157.67 eggs/female on cauliflower. We conclude from this study that radish and rapeseeds crops are preferred by the insect due to their rapid growth and development and high survival rates compared to the cabbage and cauliflower crops.