LAUSR

EnglishGiven the increasing importance of Elaphria agrotina (Guenee) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in corn crops, especially in the Brazilian Savannah biome, the present research aimed to study its development and survival on Greene’s and Poitout & Bues’s artificial diets (25±1°C, 70±10% relative humidity [RH] and 12h photophase). Poitout & Bues’s diet was more suitable than Greene’s diet, providing higher survival percent (77.51% vs. 5.57%), lower development time (49.81 days vs. 55.24 days) and higher fecundity (167.65 vs. 84.9 eggs), respectively. All the caterpillars reared on Poitout & Bues’s diet passed through six instars, while almost half of the larvae reared on Greene’s diet went through one less instar stage. Regarding the main reproductive parameters, higher average time of generation (T) and lower values of net rates of reproduction (Ro), and increased (rm) intrinsic and finite reason of increase (λ), were observed for larvae reared on Greene’s diet. Results presented in this study indicated that Poitout & Bues’s diet is more suitable for maintenance of colonies of E. agrotina as compared to Greene’s diet. Key words: row crops; adequacy; biology; lepidopteran-pests; maintenance of colonies portuguesCom a crescente importância de Elaphria agrotina (Guenee) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) em cultivos de milho, especialmente no Bioma Cerrado, o presente trabalho objetivou comparar o seu desenvolvimento e sobrevivencia em dieta artificial de Greene e Poitout & Bues (25±1oC, 70±10% umidade relativa [UR] e fotofase de 12h). A dieta de Poitout & Bues foi mais adequada que a dieta de Grenne, proporcionando maior sobrevivencia (77.51% e 5.57%), menor tempo de desenvolvimento (49.81 dias e 55.24 dias) e maior fecundidade (167.65 ovos e 84.9 ovos), respectivamente. Todas as lagartas alimentadas com dieta de Poitout & Bues passaram por seis instares, enquanto que praticamente metade das provenientes da dieta de Greene passou por um instar a menos. Lagartas alimentadas com dieta de Greene, apresentaram maior valor do tempo medio de cada geracao (T) e menores valores das taxas liquida de reproducao (Ro), intrinseca de aumento (rm) e razao finita diaria de aumento (λ). Os resultados deste estudo indicam a recomendacao da dieta de Poitout & Bues para manutencao de colonias e criacao massal de E. agrotina quando comparada com a dieta de Greene. Palavras-chave: culturas anuais; adequacao; biologia; lepidopteros-praga; manutencao de colonias de insetos.