[Adult oviposition and larvae feeding behavior of Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on tobacco plants after infested by B-biotype Bemisia tabaci (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae)].

To understand the effects of the defense responses of tobacco plants induced by the infesting of B-biotype Bemisia tabaci to Spodoptera litura, and to explore the mechanisms of the interspecific interactions between B-biotype B. tabaci and S. litura, a laboratory experiment was conducted to study the effects of tobacco plants after infested by B-biotype B. tabaci on the adult oviposition selection and the larvae feeding, anti-feeding, and other feeding behaviors of S. litura. Comparing with that on control plants, the egg number oviposited by adult S. litura on the infested plants decreased by 40.9%. The plant leaves infested had great repellent effect to the newly-hatched S. litura larvae, while the middle leaves and the leaves with systemic damage symptom (white-vein) had definite attractive effect. Unexpanded terminal leaves had no effects on the host selection of S. litura larvae. The S. litura larvae had significant anti-feeding behavior on the leaves infested, being more notable than that on the leaves with white-vein. On the leaves infested and with white-vein, the feeding times per unit duration or the feeding percentage of S. litura larvae decreased, the time of initiating feeding prolonged, and the total feeding area declined significantly, compared with the control. In conclusion, the tobacco plants after infested by B-biotype B. tabaci had negative effects on the adult oviposition and larvae feeding of S. litura, and the results of the study would be useful in understanding the population dynamics of tobacco pests and their management.