Geographic Origin and Host Cultivar Influence on Digestive Physiology of Spodoptera exigua (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Larvae.

Digestive enzymatic activity in three geographic strains (Miandiab, Kalposh and Moghan regions) of Spodoptera exigua (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) reared on different sugar beet cultivars (Dorothea, Rozier, Persia and Perimer) was studied under laboratory conditions (25 ± 1 °C, 65 ± 5% RH, and a photo period of 16:8 (L:D) h photoperiod). The results of this study demonstrated that digestive protease and amylase activity of S. exigua larvae was affected by both geographic origin of the pest and host plant cultivar. Three strains reared on the same sugar beet cultivars demonstrated different levels of proteolytic and amylolytic activities in fourth and fifth instars. The highest proteolytic and amylolytic activity, in most cases, was observed in larvae collected from Kalposh region. Among different sugar beet cultivars, the highest protease activity in three strains was observed on cultivars Rozier and Perimer. Nevertheless, the highest amylase activity was seen on cultivar Dorothea, and the lowest activity was seen on cultivar Rozier. This study suggested that variations in digestive enzymatic activity of three geographic strains of S. exigua might be attributed to local adaptation with their local host plant and environmental conditions inherent by larvae.