The effect of three green gram cultivars (PDM 54, PUSA BAISAKHI and SAMRAT) on the biology ofSpilosoma obliquaWalker (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae) was studied using age-stage, two-sex life table. We also studied food utilization efficiency measures of larvae on green gram cultivars. The nutritional and antinutritional factors of leaves of green gram cultivars were determined. The preadult development time ofS. obliquawas shortest on PDM 54 (35.54 days) and longest on SAMRAT (39.29 days). The fecundity was highest on PDM 54 (318.32) and lowest on SAMRAT (250.20). The net reproductive rate (R₀) ranged from 37.53 on SAMRAT to 79.58 on PDM 54. The intrinsic rate of increase (r) was higher on PDM 54 (0.1148 day⁻¹) and PUSA BAISAKHI (0.1018 day⁻¹) than SAMRAT (0.0875 day⁻¹). The finite rate of increase (λ) was lowest on SAMRAT (1.0915 day⁻¹). Mean generation time (T) was shortest on PDM 54 (38.12 days) and longest on SAMRAT (41.42 days). Population projection revealed that the population growth was slowest on SAMRAT. The growth rate of sixth instar larvae was highest on PDM 54 and lowest on SAMRAT. The lower level of nutritional factors such as total carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, amino acids and nitrogen content, and a higher level of antinutritional factors such as total phenols, flavonols and tannins influenced higher development time and lower fecundity ofS. obliquaon SAMRAT than other cultivars. These findings suggested that SAMRAT is a less suitable cultivar toS. obliquathan other cultivars, and this cultivar can be promoted for cultivation.

Aphis craccivoraKoch (Hemiptera: Aphididae) is an important pest ofLathyrus sativusL. plants, and causes retarded plant growth and loss of seed production. The insect sucks cell sap from flowers and lays nymphs on flowers. Hence, an attempt has been made to observe whether flower surface wax compounds (alkanes and free fatty acids) from two cultivars (BIO L 212 Ratan and Nirmal B-1) ofL. sativuscould act as short-range attractant and stimulant for nymph laying by adult viviparous females. Then-hexane extracts of flower surface waxes were analyzed by TLC, GC-MS and GC-FID analyses. Twenty one and 22n-alkanes betweenn-C₁₂andn-C₃₆were detected in BIO L 212 Ratan and Nirmal B-1, respectively; whereas 12 free fatty acids between C12:0 and C22:0 were identified in both cultivars. Pentadecane and tridecanoic acid were predominantn-alkane and free fatty acid, respectively. One flower equivalent surface wax of both cultivars served as short-range attractant and stimulant for nymph laying through Y-tube choice experiments and I-tube viviparity assays, respectively, by adult viviparous females. A synthetic blend of nonacosane, tridecanoic acid and linoleic acid, and a synthetic blend of tetradecane, pentadecane, nonacosane, tridecanoic acid and linoleic acid resembling in amounts as present in one flower equivalent surface wax of BIO L 212 Ratan and Nirmal B-1, respectively, served as short-range attractant and stimulant for nymph laying by adult viviparous females. This study suggests that both these blends could be used in lures in the development of baited traps in pest management programmes.