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The calling behavior of virgin carob moth females, Ectomyelois ceratoniae (Zeller) (Lep.: Pyralidae) was evaluated under two different thermal regimes, cycling and constant temperatures under laboratory condition. The period of calling activity under cycling temperature was prolonged and the total period of calling activity of an individual female was increased. Although moths maintained under cycling temperature started calling later for the first time significantly in the scotophase than those maintained at 25 °C, but the calling activity at cycling temperature was higher than at 25 °C. At two temperature regimes, the mean onset time of calling (MOTC) advanced from about 441 to 189.5^th min after the onset of the scotophase, and the mean time spent calling (MTSC) increased by > 120 min over the eight days. MTSC and MOTC for cycling thermal regime were 96.8 ± 6.5 and 275.9 ± 9.3 min respectively. We assumed that the extension of the calling period under cycling temperature might be due to potential similarities of the temperature regime to natural thermal fluctuations which could lead to an increased proportion of females mated; apart from its importance in efficacy of sex pheromone extraction under laboratory conditions.

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Reproductive parameters and ovipositional preference of Plutella xylostella were assessed on some mutant genotypes of canola (RGS 8-1, RGS 10-2, RGS 8-13, Zar 9-9 and Talaye 8-3) and their cultivars (RGS, Zar, Talaye) under greenhouse condition (21 ± 6 °C, 65 ± 10 RH and a photoperiod of 16L: 8D h). Comparison of the reproductive parameters on RGS and its mutant genotypes revealed that mutant genotype RGS 8-1 was the most susceptible genotype to the pest, having maximum values of gross reproductive rate (182.7 female eggs/ female), net fecundity rate (248.2 eggs/ female) and mean number of fertile eggs (8.98 fertile eggs/female/day). The last parameter was the lowest on RGS 8-13 (3.05 fertile eggs/ female/day). In no-choice condition, the experiment of ovipositional preference indicated no significant difference among mean number of deposited eggs on the three cultivars compared with their mutant genotypes after 24 h. While, in choice test, mutant genotype, RGS 10-2 (151.67 eggs) was preferred over RGS and the two other mutant genotypes. This study revealed that effect of physical mutation on resistance of canola to P. xylostella may vary depending on canola cultivar and different mutant genotypes of the same cultivar. This point should be considered by plant breeders when releasing these mutant plants with appropriate cultural traits for utilizing by farmers.

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Plant quality in herbivores’ diet may affect the performance of both herbivore and its parasitoids. In the present research, parasitism capacity of Diadegma semiclausum (Hellen) on Plutella xylostella (L.) reared on different genetically manipulated Brassica plants including the canola’s progenitor (Brassica rapa L.), two cultivated canola cultivars (Cultivar-Opera and Cultivar-RGS₀₀₃), one hybrid (Hybrid-Hyula₄₀₁), one gamma mutated (Mutant-RGS₀₀₃), and one transgenic (Transgenic-PF) genotype was determined. All experiments were carried out in a growth chamber at 25±1˚C, 65±5% RH, and a photoperiod of 16:8 (L: D) hour. The value of the net parasitism rate (C₀) of D. semiclausum was 14.94, 20.12, 14.95, 12.20, 13.94, and 12.55 hosts on B. rapa, Cultivar-Opera, Cultivar-RGS₀₀₃, Hybrid-Hyula₄₀₁, Mutant-RGS₀₀₃, and Transgenic-PF, respectively. The transformation rate from host population to parasitoid offspring (Q_p) on all genotypes was close to 1 (C₀ R₀). Moreover, the value of the finite parasitism rate  was 0.271, 0.285, 0.277, 0.202, 0.205, and 0.202 host parasitoid^-1 day^-1 on the above-mentioned genotypes, respectively. The finite parasitism rate considers the finite rate of increase, the stable age-stage distribution, and the age-stage specific parasitism rate; therefore, this parameter could be used to assess the efficiency of a parasitoid. In conclusion, D. semiclausum had higher parasitism capacity on canola’s progenitor and the cultivated genotypes which were more suitable for parasitoid’s host based on secondary metabolites concentration.

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Aphis gossypii Glover is one of the most important pests of greenhouse cucumber and pepper in the world and Iran. In this research, life table and biology of A. gossypii were investigated on cucumber (Cucumis sativus cv. Super Sultan) and pepper (Capsicum annum cv. Marqueza) in a growth chamber at 25±1°C and 60±5% RH and a photoperiod of 14 L: 10 D hour.The results showed thatdevelopmental time of A. gossypii on pepper was significantly longer than that on cucumber. The survival rates of A. gossypii on cucumber and pepper were significantly differentbased on Kolmogrov-Smirnov test results. The survival rates (l_x) at the beginning of female emergence were 94 and 66% on cucumber and pepper, respectively. Life expectancy (e_x) of the newly-bornnymphs of A. gossypii were obtained as 26.37 and 14.4 days on cucumber and pepper, respectively. The highest age-specific daily fecundity of A. gossypii was at the 5^th and 6^th days of female adult age on cucumber and from first to 4^th days of female adult life on pepper. Furthermore, two mathematical models (Analytis and Enkegaard) were fitted to age-specific fecundity data (m_x). Adult longevity of A. gossypii on cucumber was significantly higher than that on pepper. The R₀, r_m and λ-values of A. gossypii on cucumber were significantly higher than those on pepper. The cotton aphid exhibited longer mean generation time (T) on pepper than that on cucumber. According to the growth index and life table statistics, cucumber was the suitable host plant for A. gossypii.

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Life history of insect herbivores is unclear after feeding on mutant lines of many crops. To shed light, demographic parameters of Plutella xylostella on three canola cultivars (“Zar”, “RGS”, “Talaye”) and their physical mutation-derived lines (“Zar 9-9”, “RGS 8-1”, “RGS 10-2”, “RGS 8-13” and “Talaye 8-3”) were determined under greenhouse condition. Methods of life table including the female age specific life table and the age-stage, two-sex life table were applied. According to two-sex life table, there was no significant difference between demographic parameters of P. xylostella on “Talaye” and “Zar” in comparison with their mutant lines, but significant differences were observed between these parameters on mutant lines of “RGS”. Having suitable cultural traits, “RGS 8-1” was more susceptible than the other two mutant lines and its control cultivar “RGS” in terms of population growth of the pest. According to the two-sex life table, the net reproductive rate (R₀), intrinsic rate of increase (r), and finite rate of increase (λ) were the highest on RGS 8-1 (98.63 offspring per individual, 0.208 and 1.231 day^-1, respectively). Also, population projection showed the rapid growth of the pest on the latter line. There was a little difference between the same population parameters estimated by two methods of life table. Investigating some consequences of plant breeding using radiation techniques on insect fitness not only leads plant breeders to do more unfailing selections but also provides some enlightenment in pest management programs effectively when plantation of such crops is prioritized.

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Little is known about the effect of artificial diversity of plant – insect communities on the carbon and nitrogen stoichiometry, weight, and water content of the modern crops. Using a microcosm experiment with two closely related crop species (Brassica napus and B. juncea), the sap feeder turnip aphid (Lipaphis erysimi), the folivore diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) and its larval-pupal parasitoid wasp, Diadegma semiclausum, the Shannon biodiversity index was evaluated and regressed to the experimental data of carbon and nitrogen stoichiometry, water content and weight of the crops. Carbon: Nitrogen (C:N) ratio of the modern cultivar under single planting had a logarithmic relationship with the artificial biodiversity index, while this relationship under plant interference was linear and positive. Water content of both experimental crops changed with the artificial biodiversity index conversely under single planting setup. When insects (either the folivore or the phloem feeder) damaged the host plants, the weight and water content of both crop species were 1.8 – 4.1 times higher than the control treatment. Apart from being a recurrent demonstration of the plant tolerance against insect feeding activity, current results can take a step forward for developing a theory on functional artificial biodiversity after herbivore insect–crop interactions.

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Many studies have been done so far on the reproductive biology of carob moth, Ectomyelois ceratoniae, considering different environmental conditions, however, climate regions’ indirect effects cascaded up to the carob moth performance are not studied yet. A soil-pomegranate fruit cv. Malas-carob moth system was utilized based on three populations of pomegranate cv. Malas grown in three different climate regions of Iran (Aqda, Tarom-e-Oliya, and Saveh). Aqda region supported the highest nitrogen content for both soil and fruit; however, according to the two-sex life table, population growth parameters did not vary significantly in the carob moth reared on the fruits collected from these three climate regions. There was no correlation between soil nitrogen content and all population growth and biological parameters of the pest. Among all population growth and biological parameters, pupal period (r= -0.997, P= 0.047) and development time (r= -0.997, P= 0.051) showed inverse correlations with fruit nitrogen at 10% significance level. It was concluded that climate region indirect effect on the carob moth performance could not emanate under the pomegranate cultivar shade, however, this hypothesis should be tested in future.
 

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