Effect of elevated carbon dioxide on the fitness traits of Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae)

Abstract

The life history and fitness parameters of diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, were studied under ambient (410 ppm) and elevated concentrations (460, 510, 560, and 610 ppm) of carbon dioxide in a Soil–Plant–Atmosphere–Research chamber. The results revealed that the egg and larval durations were significantly longer at 410 ppm and shortened at a higher carbon dioxide concentration of 610 ppm. At elevated concentrations of 560 and 610 ppm, the net reproductive rate (R₀) increased to 99.90 and 88.00 numbers per female in a lifetime, respectively. The intrinsic rate of increased (r_m) value was 0.22 per day at 410 ppm; it increased linearly to 0.24, 0.26, 0.30, and 0.31 per day at 460, 510, 560, and 610 ppm, respectively. The fecundity rate increased from 150.86 ± 19.32 eggs (410 ppm) to 196.33 ± 8.63 eggs (560 ppm) on increasing carbon dioxide concentration but decreased to 171.46 ± 6.79 eggs at 610 ppm. These results suggest improved fitness of P. xylostella in the future scenario of global climate change with increasing carbon dioxide concentrations.

Keywords:

• Plutella xylostella
• SPAR
• elevated carbon dioxide
• two-sex life table
• fitness parameters

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no potential conflict of interest.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author, Kennedy JS. The data are not publicly available because the containing information is a part of the doctoral research work and could compromise the ethics of thesis submission.

Additional information

Funding

This research is financially supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DST)–International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT).