Oviposition and Feeding Preferences of the Bollworm on Cotton.

Oviposition and feeding preferences of the bollworm, Heliothis zea (Boddie) on cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., cultivar ´Tamcot CAMD-E´. were studied. A highly significant number of eggs on termnal and leaves indicated clearly that bollworm moths exibit a high degree of preference for egg placement on these parts. Feeding sites for bollworm larvae were quite variable among instars and plant parts, except for white flowers and red flowers which were the most preferred feeding sites for all larval instars. Terminals and leaves were the second most damaged plant parts by the first instars. Large boll preference increased from fourth to sixth instars, with a peak of damage in the fifth instar. It was concluded that egg lacement may vary among plant parts. Feeding preference sites varied from instar to instar within the various cotton plant parts. Consequently, caution should be taken in common scoring practices