Comparative Study on Fecundity of Solitary and Gregarious Phases of Schistocerca gregaria from Thar Desert, Pakistan

Abstract

The adults of Schistocerca gregaria were captured from cultivated fields having Pearl millet (Pennistum glaucum), Cluster bean (Syamopsis tetragonoloba) and from wild grasses like snow bush (Aerva javanica), bekar grass (Indigofera caerulea), bhurat (Cenchrus biflorus). Comparative study on the fecundity rate of Solitary and Gregarious Phases of Schistocerca gregaria (Forskal) was carried out, from Thar Desert. Insects were reared under laboratory condition. It was noted that the female of S. gregaria lays 123.71±11.10 eggs in each egg pod in Solitarious phase, while 81.8±9.10 eggs per egg pod in gregarious phase. Moreover, it was noted that fecundity of Solitarious phase was high, although the population density was comparatively low than gregarious phase. Hopefully, this finding will be beneficial for the pest control agencies.