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In Asia, the polyphagous pest, Spodoptera litura defoliates a variety of agricultural and horticulture crops. The current study was undertaken at ecology laboratory of MNS-University of Agriculture, Multan, Pakistan during 2018-2019 to study the effect of different host plants, alfalfa, sesbania and cabbage on biology of Spodoptera litura under laboratory condition. The host plants had an impact on all of the biological variables that were measured in the study. The average mean duration of first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth larval instars on sesbania was 3.32±0.16a, 3.45±0.10a, 3.67±0.12a, 4.37±0.11a, 6.55±0.19a, and 5.30±0.20a days, respectively. The development times of S. litura larval instars fed on various host plants differed significantly (F = 90.65; df = 3,125; p 0.05). Among the tested host plants, sesbania was the most suitable host plant for pest growth and development followed by cabbage, and alfalfa. Alfalfa was the least important host for pest. Sesbania was found to be the most advantageous host for Spodoptera litura, followed by cabbage and alfalfa, according to the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The delayed planting suppresses germination, growth and productivity of chickpea due to low temperature. Seed priming may improve the germination and growth of chickpea; however, no study has reported the effect of seed priming techniques on germination indices, growth and productivity of late-sown chickpea. This study was conducted to evaluate the influence of seed priming in improving performance of late sown chickpea. Chickpea seeds were subjected to on-farm priming, hydropriming and osmopriming (CaCl2). In experiment I, seeds of chickpea cultivars Punjab-2008 and Thal-2006 were sown in soil filled pots. Seed priming improved crop stand establishment and seedling dry weight owing to priming-induced improvement in sugars' metabolism. In the second experiment, primed and untreated seeds of both chickpea cultivars were sown on Dec 03 and 18, and Jan 03 at Faisalabad and Multan, Pakistan during three growing seasons. Delay in planting decreased the germination indices, crop stand, growth and yield at both sites during all 3 years. Seed priming improved crop stand and growth of both chickpea cultivars resulting in increase in grain yield and net economic returns, and osmopriming was the most effective. Chickpea cultivars differed for yield and net economic returns and Punjab-2008 had better grain yield and economic returns compared to Thal-2006. Therefore, chickpea cultivar Punjab-2008 should be planted after osmopriming to harvest better yield and profitability from late sown chickpea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]