El-Shazly, E.A., Ismail, I.A., & Abdel-Rahman, R.S. 2005 Host-plant preference of the red-striped soft scale insect, Pulvinaria tenuivalvata (Newstead).. Bulletin of the National Research Centre (Cairo) 30(3): 317-324.
Notes: The effect of five host plants, namely sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum), cogon grass (Imperata cylindrical), elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum), sweet sorghum (Sorghum vulgare var. saccharatum) and maize (Zea mays), on different biological aspects of the red striped-soft scale, Pulvinaria tenuivalvata, was studied. The percentage of nymphs that succeeded to reach the adult stage differed on the different host plants. This percentage was maximum on sugarcane and sweet sorghum followed by cogon grass, while the minimum was on maize. The shortest preoviposition period of the insects was recorded on sugarcane and elephant grass plants, while the oviposition period was about twice greater on sugarcane than on sweet sorghum. No significant difference existed between the oviposition period on sweet sorghum and maize. The maximum number of eggs was found on sugarcane, but the minimum number was found on maize and sweet sorghum. Adult longevity on sugarcane was about twice greater than that on maize, while it was one-half that on elephant grass. Thus, sugarcane plant was more preferable to the insect than all other tested host plants.