Effect of larvae presence and defoliation rate in the oviposition of <em>Plutella xylostella</em> L. (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutidae) in cabbage

Abstract

The present study reports the effect of larvae presence and defoliation rate in the oviposition of Plutella xylostella L. (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutidae) in cabbage. The work was carried out under greenhouse conditions and the sources of variation were the presence or not of three larvae/leaf and defoliation levels of 0, 1.60, 2.54, 4.61 and 7.00 cm2/leaf, 24 hours before the beginning of the bioassay. The leaves were placed for 24 hours in cages containing 300 non-sexed adults of P. xylostella. The number of eggs/leaf was assessed after 24 hours. There was no significant effect of the presence of P. xylostella larvae in this species oviposition on cabbage leaves. Nonetheless, there was a higher number of P. xylostella eggs/leaf with higher defoliation rate on cabbage