Assessment of consumption, utilisation and growth of Oedaleus abruptus (Thunberg) and Spathosternum prasiniferum prasiniferum (Walker) (Orthoptera: Acrididae) fed with various food plants in laboratory conditions

Grasshoppers are serious pests of crops worldwide. In the present era of changing agricultural practices and uncertainty regarding the impacts of global climate change, the need to understand the nutritional ecology of grasshoppers is urgent. In the present study newly hatched nymphs of two multivoltine acridids, Spathosternum prasiniferum prasiniferum and Oedaleus abruptus, were fed with four food plants of the family Poaceae: Cynodon dactylon, Triticum aestivum, Sorghum halepense and Oryza sativa. Then their growth, adult life span, food consumption and utilisation were recorded. Sorghum halepense was found to be the most suitable food plant for S. pr. prasiniferum whereas for O. abruptus it was Triticum aestivum followed by Sorghum halepense in most cases. The results from the present study may help forecasting modellers to simulate a predictive model that may speculate future outbreaks, forage loss and its possible effects on the economy more efficiently.