Diversity and Food Selection of Oedipodinae (Acrididae: Orthoptera) in Hyderabad Division, Sindh, Pakistan

Abstract

The Oedipodinae of Pakistan stands as major pest in agriculture due to its occurrence and diversity in this habitat. Mostly they are known as geophiles and phytophyles. During present study about 4334 specimens of Oedipodinae comprised on 3141 instars and 1193 adults were come in collections from different districts of Hyderabad division. About 9 genera i.e Oedaleus Fieber, 1853 with 26.30%, Acrotylus Fieber, 1853 with 17.51% and Sphingonotus (Perroud, 1855), 17.07%, while lowest ratio i-e 0.57, 1.77, 5.28, 9.73 and 10.26% was reported for Locusta (Fieb), Mioscritus (Saussure, 1884), Gastrimargus (Saussure, 1884), Hilethera (Uvarov) and Scintharista respectively. Species diversity was noted significantly highest i-e 16.54%, 12.15%, 11.65% and 9.73% in Oedaleus rosescens, S. rubescens rubescens, Acrotylus humbertianus and Hilethera aelopoides respectively, while low ratio was noted in S. sindhensis and Locusta migratoria i.e 0.34% and 0.57% respectively. Beside this other collected species i-e A. longipes subfasciatus, Aiolopus thalassinus thalassinus, A. thalassinus tamulus, Gastrimargus africanaus sulphurus, O. sengalensis, S. notabilis pallipes, Mioscritus wagneri rogenhoferi, Sphingonotus savignyi, A. longipes longipes and S. akbari diversity was also rich in same area. Morover, different feeding tests were carried out on 16 species of Oedipodinae, most of them being investigated for the first time. These tests were unusual in several means: 1. Scanning Electron Microscope/ EDS was used in order to analysis elements concentration in different tested foods supplied to insect under laboratory condition. 2. An unusually large number of food-plants (about 25) were used and 3. Most Oedipodinae were offered repeatedly at least 10 of the most consistently available foods, and thus, an accurate estimate of the relative preference value of the more abundant plants of the insect’s habitats was noted. Life spawn was reported on Brassicacaea representive i-e cabbage, mustard, reddish was (91.52 ♂, 88.83 ♀), (71.45 ♂, 77.31 ♀), (58.84 ♂, 66.67 ♀) days respectively, while it was (98.48 ♂, 97.53♀), (86.73 ♂, 77.43 ♀), (83.84 ♂, 87.04 VII ♀), (62.93 ♂, 65.67 ♀) days in sugarcane, pearl millet, rice and wheat respectively belongs to Poaceae. However, survivorship of insects on Solanaceae members i.e brinjal, chilies and tomato was (70.27 ♂, 68.24 ♀), (66.25 ♂, 67.31 ♀) and (65.24 ♂, 63.39 ♀ days) respectively. For regular supply of food to insects food plants grown near to labatory garden and some were bought from market. Bioassay test of different cash crops i-e sugarcane, rice, cotton and wheat was also done at PCSIR Karachi laboratory where moisture, protein, ash, lipids and carbohydrate were analysis through AOAC-19th edition (2012). Over all their values were noted protein, ash, lipids and carbohydrates ratio in sugarcane dry grinded leaves were observed i.e 8.08, 5.58, 9.47, 1.32 and 75.55% respectively, while it was 7.14, 18.50, 14.25, 2.15 and 57.98% respectively on rice followed by 8.32, 17.29, 22.37, 4.76 and 47.26% respectively on cotton, and 8.32, 17.29, 22.37, 4.76 and 47.26% respectively on wheat. Present study recommends that the links between food attributes, food consumption and utilization in insect are primary parameters to judge insect performance and adopt the control planning against pests at appropriate time.