Association of Cotton Nectar Production with Heliothis punctigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Oviposition

Abstract

The production of extrafloral nectar by cotton had two distinct peaks with cultivar ‘Stoneville 7A,’ the first peak produced by mainstem node leaf nectaries and the second peak produced by subbracteal nectaries on fruiting structures. Cultivar ‘Coker 201’ produced a first peak corresponding with that observed for ‘Stoneville 7A,’ and a much less pronounced but corresponding second peak. Oviposition by Heliothis punctigera Wallengren moths was highly correlated with extrafloral nectar production during the first 13 weeks of the crop's development but poorly correlated later in the plant's development. It is postulated that the low correlation late season may be due to any of several factors, including a change in nectar quality or buildup of fungi associated with the nectaries.