Influence of Selected Phenolic Compounds on Development of Bollworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Larvae

Abstract

Trans-cinnamic acid, catechol, and +catechin were incorporated into synthetic diets fed to bollworms, Heliothis zea (Boddie), in a controlled environment. Addition of phenolic compounds to the diet increased larval mortality and time required for the larvae to reach pupation and reduced rate of larval development. Pupal weight was reduced, but to a lesser extent than time to pupation. In a field experiment, levels of phenolics in squares and leaves of both infested (five 3-d-old bollworm larvae per plant) and control (uninfested) cotton plants were monitored. Squares and leaves of infested plants showed higher levels of phenolics than did squares and leaves of the controls. However, levels of the phenolics that had been particularly effective in the feeding study were not consistently higher in the infested plants than in the controls.