Zygogramma bicolorata Pallister is an effective biocontrol agent of Parthenium hysterophorus L. We evaluated the variability in reproductive attributes and diapause behaviour among populations of Z. bicolorata from six geographical locations of India, viz. Jammu, Poonch, Rajouri, Almora, Jabalpur and Coimbatore. This was done to optimize its augmentative rearing. We collected the adult insects from these locations and reared them in the laboratory. The eggs obtained from these adults were reared from egg-hatch to adult emergence to determine the development, reproduction, diapause and the influence of extremes of temperature on survival. The percentage of pupation (84.30 ± 1.41%), adult emergence (86.75 ± 1.11%), egg viability (77.30 ± 2.02%) fecundity (2159.5 ± 8.45 eggs), and longevities of males and females (86.5 ± 4.8 and 146.9 ± 6.1 days) were greater in the Coimbatore population of South India experiencing tropical climatic conditions than the other populations. In addition, this population had the lowest incidence of diapause in adult males (26.1 ± 1.0%) and females (26.1 ± 1.0%), and shortest mean diapause durations. The Coimbatore population had the highest survival when adult females were exposed to three suboptimal temperatures with the highest survival at 35 °C, followed by 45 °C and – 5 °C, while the Jabalpur and the Almora populations survival was the lowest. The adult survival percentage of this tropical population declined with an increase in the duration of exposure to the temperature extremes. We conclude that tropical climatic conditions favour development and reproduction, and minimize the prevalence of diapause in Z. bicolorata than the colder habitats of northern India. The findings may help mass rearing of parthenium beetle under controlled conditions and to manage parthenium across various geographical habitats.

Zygogramma bicolorata Pallister 是一种有效的Parthenium hysterophorus L生物防治剂。我们评估了Z. bicolorata种群之间生殖属性和滞育行为的变异性来自印度的六个地理位置，即。查谟、庞奇、拉朱里、阿尔莫拉、贾巴尔普尔和哥印拜陀。这样做是为了优化其增强饲养。我们从这些地方收集了成虫并在实验室中饲养它们。从这些成虫获得的卵从卵孵化到成虫出现，以确定发育、繁殖、滞育和极端温度对生存的影响。化蛹百分比 (84.30 ± 1.41%)、成虫羽化 (86.75 ± 1.11%)、卵存活率 (77.30 ± 2.02%) 繁殖力 (2159.5 ± 8.45 个卵) 和雄性和雌性寿命 (86.5 ± 4.6.8 和 4.6)天）在经历热带气候条件的南印度哥印拜陀种群中比其他种群更大。此外，该人群的成年男性滞育发生率最低 (26. 1 ± 1.0%) 和女性 (26.1 ± 1.0%)，以及最短的平均滞育持续时间。当成年雌性暴露于三个次优温度时，哥印拜陀种群的存活率最高，其中 35 °C 的存活率最高，其次是 45 °C 和 – 5 °C，而 Jabalpur 和 Almora 种群的存活率最低。随着暴露于极端温度的持续时间增加，该热带种群的成虫存活率下降。我们得出结论，热带气候条件有利于发育和繁殖，并最大限度地减少滞育的流行 而贾巴尔普尔和阿尔莫拉的种群生存率最低。随着暴露于极端温度的持续时间增加，该热带种群的成虫存活率下降。我们得出结论，热带气候条件有利于发育和繁殖，并最大限度地减少滞育的流行 而贾巴尔普尔和阿尔莫拉的种群生存率最低。随着暴露于极端温度的持续时间增加，该热带种群的成虫存活率下降。我们得出结论，热带气候条件有利于发育和繁殖，并最大限度地减少滞育的流行Z. bicolorata比印度北部更冷的栖息地。这些发现可能有助于在受控条件下大规模饲养白蛉甲虫，并管理不同地理栖息地的白蛉。