Abstract
Feeding responses of Helicoverpa armigera and H. assulta to Solanaceae plants were investigated. Among the five plant diets (eggplant leaf, eggplant fruit, tomato leaf, tomato fruit, and tobacco leaf) and artificial diet (Insecta LF) tested, H. armigera had the highest preference for eggplant fruit, whereas H. assulta had equal preference for eggplant fruit, insecta LF and tobacco leaf. We also investigated the feeding responses of both species to methyl alcohol extracts of Solanaceae plants. H. armigera had equal preference for the methanol extracts of eggplant fruit, eggplant leaf, tomato fruit and tobacco leaf, whereas H. assulta preferred that of tobacco leaf. These results suggest that the feeding stimulants that exist in Solanaceae plants for H. armigera and H. assulta are slightly different.
