Developmental and Reproductive Biology of Planococcus minor (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) Under Constant Temperatures

Effect of temperature on the developmental and reproductive biology of the passionvine mealybug, Planococcus minor (Maskell) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), was investigated on sprouted potatoes. P. minor was able to develop and complete its life cycle at 20, 25, and 29 °C. No eggs eclosed at 15 and 35 °C. The developmental time from egg to adult female was approximately 49 d at 20 °C, 31 d at 25 °C, and 27 d at 29 °C. Between 20 and 29 °C, 58–71% of eggs survived to adulthood. Female mealybugs made up 60–73% of the adult populations in the 3 temperature treatments. Preoviposition and oviposition times decreased as the temperature increased. Females reproduced sexually and produced the highest number of eggs (270 eggs/female) at 20 °C. Adult female longevity declined from 34 d at 20 °C to 19–22 d at the 2 higher temperatures. Adult males were short-lived and their longevity declined with increasing temperature. At 25 °C, the gross reproductive rate (GRR) and net reproductive rate (Ro) were estimated at 445.7 ♀/♀ and 325.4 ♀/♀, respectively, the generation time (TG) was 39.5 d, the intrinsic rate of increase (rm) was 0.147 (♀/♀/d), the finite rate of increase (λ) was 1.158 (♀/♀/d), and the doubling time (DT) was 4.7 d. The ability of P. minor to develop, survive, and reproduce successfully from 20 to 29 °C suggests that the mealybug has the potential to develop and establish in climatic zones that fall within this temperature range.