Studies on the effect of various diets on development, longevity and fecundity of Oxycarenus gossypinus were conducted in the laboratory at temperatures of 25–33°C. The mean periods of nymphal development when reared on seeds of okra, kenaf, roselle and cotton were 15.5, 15.7, 15.8 and 18.1 days, respectively.
Mated males lived longer and in decreasing order on okra (59.2 days), roselle (57.5 days) and kenaf (57.3 days) than on cotton (43.5 days). Mated females also lived longer on okra (41.4 days), kenaf (40.1 days) and roselle (39.3 days) than on cotton (32.5 days).
Mated females reared on okra seeds laid significantly the highest mean number of eggs per female per day (15.05 ± 0.87 eggs). But the mean number of eggs oviposited when fed on seeds of kenaf (12.9 ± 1.01 eggs) and roselle (10.9 ± 1.18 eggs) was not significant.
