Feeding performance and some biological parameters of the Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) on artificial diets containing bran of different wheat cultivars

The eggs and larvae of the Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hübner), are widely used in mass rearing of parasitoids and predators. Feeding indices and some biological parameters of P. interpunctella were studied on bran of different wheat cultivars (ʹBack-cross Roshanʹ, ʹKhooshe Pishgamʹ, ʹKhoshki line 9ʹ, ʹArgʹ, ʹAlvandʹ, ʹPishtazʹ, ʹWS-89-2ʹ, ʹSepahanʹ and ʹBamʹ) when incorporated into artificial diets under laboratory conditions (25 ± 1 ?C, 65 ± 5% R.H., and a 16:8 h light-dark photoperiod). The efficiency of conversion of ingested food was highest on ʹBack-cross Roshanʹ (98.79 ± 8.48%) and lowest on ʹPishtazʹ (64.56 ± 9.66%). The highest and lowest percentage of mortality of P. interpunctella larvae were on ʹPishtazʹ (56%) and ʹBack cross Roshanʹ (12%). Our results showed that larval growth index was highest on ʹKhoshki line 9ʹ (5.81) and lowest on ʹPishtazʹ (3.33). Moreover, the highest daily and total fecundity were detected in moths that were reared on ʹBack-cross Roshanʹ (37.6 ± 0.93 and 177.3 ± 1.61 eggs, respectively). The results demonstrated that, among different wheat cultivars tested, ʹBack-cross Roshanʹ was the most suitable cultivar for P. interpunctella rearing in order to optimize the mass production of natural enemies.