Host preference and thermal biology of Helicoverpa punctigera (Wallengren) (Lepidoptera

The data set consists of five different folders of which each folder consist of data set for each of the experiments conducted.<br>
The study investigated aspects of Helicoverpa punctigera ecology and thermal physiology to improve our understanding of its population dynamics especially in the inland regions. I assessed adult oviposition preference, larval survival and adult oviposition response of H. punctigera on some plants with the C4 photosynthetic pathway, compared with C3 plants under glasshouse conditions. In addition, because inland Australia is characterised by high and extreme temperatures in summer, I assessed the physiological responses of the insect to exposure to both high and extreme temperatures.<br>
This thesis has therefore broaden our understanding of Helicoverpa punctigera ecology in non-cropping environments like inland Australia.