EFFECT OF DIFFERENT CONSTITUENT SALTS OF HMW SALT MIXTURE ON GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF DACUS CUCURBITAE MAGGOTS IN ARTIFICIAL DIET

The effect of different constituent salts of HMW salt mixture were tested using deletion technique, potassium salts were the only ones indispensible for the growth of the maggots of Dacus cucurbitae Coquillet. There was significant detrimental effect on the growth of maggots when Ca-salts, Mg-salts, Fe-salts, Min-salts, potash alum and Na-salts were deleted from individual diets.