Effect of temperature on longevity and fecundity of Phyllonorycter ringoniella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) and its oviposition model

Asiatic apple leafminer, Phyllonorycter ringoniella, is an important insect pest in apple orchards. However, information on its temperature-dependent reproductive behavior and oviposition model is lacking. The longevity and fecundity of P. ringoniella were investigated at seven constant temperatures (13.7, 15.6, 20.5, 23.7, 26.1, 30.2, and 32.3°C), 60–80% RH, and a photoperiod of 14:10 (L:D) h. The longevity and fecundity of P. ringoniella were significantly influenced by temperature. Female adult longevity ranged from 6.3days at 32.3°C to 18.3days at 15.6°C. The fecundity ranged from 9.9 eggs at 32.3°C to 65.2 eggs at 15.6°C. The preoviposition (1.5–4.1days) and oviposition (1.8–12.6days) periods were significantly affected by temperature, while the postoviposition (1.2–2.2days) period was not. Female adult aging rates (1/mean longevity) were well described by an inverse second-order polynomial function (r2=0.98), which was used to calculate the physiological ages of female adults. The oviposition model of P. ringoniella comprised four components: adult aging rate model, total fecundity model, age-specific oviposition rate model, and age-specific survival rate model. The relationship between mean total fecundity and temperature was well described by an extreme value function (r2=0.95). Age-specific cumulative oviposition rate was well fitted to a three-parameter Weibull function (r2=0.98) and age-specific survival rate to a sigmoid function (r2=0.99), respectively. The model would be useful in predicting egg occurrence of P. ringoniella and establishing a management strategy against P. ringoniella in apple orchards. [Display omitted] •Temperature effect on adult longevity and fecundity of apple leafminer moth was studied.•Apple leafminer is low temperature adapted that higher adult performances were observed at 15.6°C.•Egg population from the apple orchards were well predicted by the oviposition model.•This is the first detailed oviposition model applied to the field population of P. ringoniella.