OVIPOSITIONAL RESPONSE OF THE TOBACCO BUDWORM AND BOLLWORM TO CHICKPEA

Ovipositional response of tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens F., to chickpea, Cicer arietinum L., was determined using fruiting terminals and methylene chloride extracts of fruiting terminals. Also, compariso ns of ovipositional responses were made between chickpea and cotton, G ossypium hirsutum L., for the tobacco budworm and bollworm, Helicoverp a tea (Boddie). Of the total eggs oviposited by tobacco budworm, 86% w ere deposited on chickpea in a choice test between fruiting forms of c hickpea and cotton. Mean numbers of eggs laid per female in a night we re the same in comparisons of cotton versus chickpea and cotton versus cotton indicating preference for oviposition on chickpea. The presenc e of chickpea did not stimulate tobacco budworm moths to lay more eggs . Leaf texture of chickpea was not a factor in the ovipositional prefe rence as determined by covering chickpea terminals with black broadclo th. There was no significant difference in the numbers of eggs oviposi ted by bollworm on chickpea or cotton. An ovipositional attractant was extracted with methylene chloride as evidenced by a significant prefe rence of tobacco budworm moths to oviposit on broadcloth treated with a methylene chloride extract compared to a solvent blank.