Nutritional consumption and utilization by Cnaphalocrocis medinalis larvae of artificial diets with different nitrogen or sugar contents
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Key Words：Cnaphalocrocis medinalis, nutritional ecology, artificial diet, nitrogen
Abstract：This study focused on the nutritional composition and growth of Cnaphalocrocis medinalis Guenée, an important rice insect pest in China, on artificial diets containing different nitrogen or sugar contents.Nutritional indices of 3rd instar larvae were not significantly affected by diets with different nitrogen or sugar content and nitrogen consumption and utilization by 3rd instar larvae were not significantly affected by different nitrogen content. However, the relative growth rate (RGR) of 5th instar larvae peaked when nitrogen content was 1.53 or 1.16%, and RGR was highest on the diet with 16.75% sugar content. Nitrogen consumption rate (NCR) of 5th instar larvae was highest on the diet with 1.46% nitrogen content, and nitrogen utilization rate (NUR) was lowest when nitrogen content was 1.33 or 1.46%. 5th instar larvae fed with a higher nitrogen content diet had higher NCR than those with lower nitrogen content in the diet. Lower NUR and nitrogen production rate (NPR) in 5th instar larvae compared with 3rd instar larvae resulted in reduced body nitrogen content. The results also indicate that 3rd instar larvae have higher requirements and utilization of nitrogen than 5th instar larvae.