INTERACTIONS BETWEEN THE DIAMONDBACK MOTH, PLUTELLA-XYLOSTELLA L AND GLASSHOUSE AND OUTDOOR-GROWN CABBAGE CULTIVARS

Interactions between Brassica cultivars (cvs) and adult and larval stages of Plutella xylostella L. were examined. In six-way choice oviposition experiments, glasshouse-grown Chinese cabbage cv. Tip Top was preferred to five outdoor-grown temperate cabbage cultivars but was similar to four out of five tropical cultivars. Bionomic studies with neonate larvae on temperate cabbage cultivars showed that mean larval duration was longer and percentage survival less on older compared with younger plants but that plant age or cultivar had little effect on pupal weight. The fecundity of P. xylostella reared on outdoor-grown cabbage cultivars varied ten-fold between the poorest and the best cultivar but plant age had little effect on P. xylostella reared on Chinese cabbage. In a glasshouse experiment, survival of P. xylostella on Chinese cabbage was significantly greater compared with field-grown glossy-leaved, normal bloom green cabbage and red cabbage. In bioassays with neonate larvae, when the leaves were placed vertically instead of horizontally a significant level of intrinsic resistance was revealed for glasshouse and field-grown glossy-leaved cabbage but not for Chinese cabbage. Observed differences in host status to P. xylostella are discussed in relation to the potential for partial plant resistance in control programmes.