Use of mature leaves of coconut palm and narrowleaf cattail for laboratory rearing of the coconut leaf beetle Brontispa longissima

Abstract

To develop a productive mass-rearing system for Brontispa longissima, its immature development and adult reproduction were compared among mature leaves of Cocos nucifera, Typha angustifolia, and young leaves of C. nucifera, the ordinary diet for mass-rearing of this insect in the laboratory. Although the immature survival of B. longissima was not different among young and mature leaves of C. nucifera and T. angustifolia, the larvae reared with mature leaves of C. nucifera and T. angustifolia developed significantly faster than those with young leaves of C. nucifera. The adults reared with T. angustifolia were significantly larger, started ovipositing earlier and laid more eggs for 40 days after emergence than those with young leaves of C. nucifera. Considering immature development and adult reproduction, T. angustifolia and mature leaves of C. nucifera would be better diet plants than young leaves of C. nucifera for laboratory rearing of B. longissima.