Abstract
The nutritional effects of unsaturated fatty acids, ether extract of rice plant, and soybean oil on larvae of Chilo suppressalis Walker were investigated by means of aseptic rearing of the larvae on synthetic food medium. Soybean oil, ether extract of rice plant, oleic and linoleic acids have neither growth promoting acivity for the larvae and nor improving effect on pupation and adult-emergence, at lower dietary levels. These substances, at higher doses, have a growth inhibiting activity for the larvae. Linolenic acid at every dietary level has no effect on larval growth in early larval instars, but shows a highly toxic effect when the larvae attained the the fourth or fifth instar of their growth.
