Ascorbic acid influences the development and immunocompetence of larval Heliothis virescens

Ascorbic acid, known to be a free radical scavenger and vital to insect development, is important in larval resistance to baculovirus infection. We sequentially elevated the ascorbic acid content in an ascorbic acid-depleted diet and evaluated the effect on larval Heliothis virescens (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) development and immunocompetence. Dietary ascorbic acid levels lower than 0.7 g l