Influence of previous herbivory on behavior and development of Spodoptera exigua larvae on glanded and glandless cotton

The solitary endoparasitoid Aenasius vexans Kerrich (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) is used for augmentative releases against the cassava mealybug, Phenacoccus herreni Cox & Williams (Sternorrhyncha: Pseudococcidae), an important pest on cassava in South America. In light of the need for large numbers of high quality females, experiments were conducted on host stage suitability and sex allocation. In choice and no-choice experiments, individual female wasps were offered second and third instar, as well as adult, hosts. During the first five days after emergence, the wasps showed a steady increase in the number of hosts they successfully parasitised per day, but the respective secondary sex ratio for each instar remained constant. Parasitism was highest for third instar hosts in no-choice tests, while in choice tests parasitism was highest in both third instars and adults. The later the developmental stage of the host at oviposition, the faster the parasitoids developed and emerged, and for each host stage, the development time of males was shorter than for females. The sex ratio of the wasps emerging from hosts that were parasitised as second instars was strongly male-biased, while the apparently preferred later stages yielded significantly more females than males. Female and male A. vexans emerging from hosts parasitised at the third instar were significantly larger than for the other stages. This may explain the preference for the third instar as well as the female-biased sex ratio, as size is usually positively correlated with higher fitness, especially in females. The results suggest that third instar hosts are the most suitable for rearing high numbers of large females.     

Growth of the cotton spotted bollworm, Earias fabia (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in relation to consumption, nutritive value and utilization of food from various plants

Growth of Earias fabia varies with the degree of consumption, nutritive value and utilization of food from different plants. The insect grows best on diets whose nutritive value and degree of conversion into body matter are high. Nutritional inferiority of a diet is to some extent compensated by its increased consumption and absorption, yet the insect may fail to grow if the degree of conversion into body matter is low. Differences among the dietary amino acids and proteins and their utilization by the insect reflect variations in its growth on different plants, but those in the lipids and carbohydrates are not significant enough to be suggestive.

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Zusammenfassung Das Wachstum von Earias fabia auf verschiedenen Pflanzen und das Ausmaß des Verbrauchs, des Nährwertes und der Ausnutzung der Nahrung auf ihnen wurden bestimmt. Das Insekt wächst auf Keimlingen von Abelmoschus esculentus und Gossypium hirsutum besser als auf reifen Samen des letzteren oder als auf keimenden Samen von Urena lobata und Althaea rosea. Reife Samen von A. esculentus, das Laub von G. hirsutum, keimende Samen von Pisum sativum, der Blütenstand von Brassica oleracea botrytis und die Früchte von Solanum melongena und Citrullus vulgaris fistulosus ergeben kein Wachstum. Keimender Mais (Zea mays) erwies sich als wachstumsfördernd für die älteren, nicht aber für die frühen Raupenstadien.Der Grad des Verbrauchs und der Absorption der Nahrung waren bei Ernährung mit Keimlingen von P. sativum und G. hirsutum sowie mit Blütenständen von B. oleracea botrytis höher, aber ihr Nährwert und der Grad der Umwandlung in körpereigener Substanz durch das Insekt waren niedriger als diejenigen auf Keimlingen von A. esculentus und Z. mays. Das Wachstum von E. fabia hängt ab vom Nährwert der Nahrung, vom Ausmaß, in welchem sie in Körpersubstanz umgewandelt, und von dem Umfang, bis zu welchem eine etwa bestehende Minderwertigkeit durch erhöhte Aufnahme und Absorption ausgeglichen werden kann.Die Unterschiede im Vorhandensein und in der Ausnutzung von Fetten und Kohlenhydraten der verschiedenen Nährmedien sind nicht signifikant genug, um Unterschiede im Wachstum von E. fabia auf ihnen zu ergeben. Bei den Aminosäuren kann das Vorhandensein und die Ausnutzung von Cystin/Cystein der Nahrung und die Unfähigkeit des Insekts, Valin zu verwerten, sein Wachstum beeinflussen. Obwohl das Insekt nicht fähig ist, die Proteine irgendeiner Nahrung vollständig zu verwerten, könnte die Gegenwart von Cystin/Cystein und (oder) Prolin unter den eiweißbildenden Aminosäuren gewisser Substrate das Wachstum beeinflussen.

     

Ovipositional responses of the contton spotted bollworm, Earias fabia (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in relation to its establishment on various plants

Differences in ovipositional responses of Earias fabia to plants and their parts are determined by their physical and chemical characters. The moisture and the intercrossing hairs forming a meshwork on the surface of a plant and its chemical constituents determine its suitability for oviposition. Essential olls, steroids and terpenoids in Abelmoschus esculentus fruit and Gossypium hirsutum leaf excite oviposition.

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Zusammenfassung Die Eignung verschiedener Pflanzen zur Eiablage für Earias fabia Stoll und die dabei mitwirkenden Faktoren werden untersucht. Wenn die Pflanzenteile jeweils für sich allein dargeboten wurden, riefen die Früchte von Abelmoschus esculentus, die Blätter von Gossypium hirsutum, Althaea rosea, Urena lobata und Solanum melongena und die Blütenstände von Brassica oleracea botrytis stärkere Reaktionen hervor als die Blätter von Zea mays, B. oleracea botrytis, Citrullus vulgaris fistulosus und Pisum sativum und die Früchte von C. vulgaris fistulosus, S. melongena und P. sativum. Wenn sie jedoch dem Insekt jeweils zusammen mit einem Standard (A. esculentus-Früchten) zur Verfügung standen, ergaben die relativen Reaktionen eine davon verschiedene Reihenfolge.Die Faktoren, welche die Eiablage beeinflussen, sind gewisse physikalische und die chemischen Eigenschaften der Pflanzen. Die Rolle der Feuchtigkeit und der Behaarung des Substrates kommt in der Bevorzugung einer feuchten, dicht behaarten Oberfläche mit Maschen zum Ausdruck. Gewisse chemische Bestandteile der Früchte von A. esculentus und G. hirsutum sowie des Blattes der letzteren rufen Eiablageverhalten hervor, während diejenigen der Früchte von P. sativum und S. melongena und die Blätter von C. vulgaris fistulosus sie verhindern und die Bestandteile der Blätter von Z. mays, B. oleracea botrytis und S. melongena in dieser Hinsicht wirkungslos sind. Ätherische Öle, Steroide und Terpenoide in den Früchten von A. esculentus und den Blättern von G. hirsutum wirken als Eiablage-Auslöser. Das Zusammenwirken dieser Faktoren bestimmt die Eignung oder Nicht-Eignung der Pflanzen für die Eiablage durch diesen Schmetterling.

     

Suitability of greenbugs, cotton aphids, andHeliothis virescens eggs for development and reproduction ofOrius insidiosus

Development, fecundity, and longevity of the predator,Orius insidiosus (Say) (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae), when reared on greenbug [Schizaphis graminum (Rondani)], cotton aphid (Aphis gossypii Glover), or eggs of tobacco budworm [Heliothis virescens (F.)] with green beans or water were examined. Developmental time was shortest when predators were reared onH. virescens eggs and beans and longest when reared on cotton aphids and water. Predators were most fecund when fedH. virescens eggs. The inclusion of beans in the nymphal diet further enhanced fecundity when fed eggs. Longevity of both females and males was significantly shorter when reared on aphids than on eggs. Beans in the nymphal diet enhanced longevity of female predators only in combination with budworm eggs. FemaleO. insidiosus were largest when reared onH. virescens eggs. Addition of green beans in aphid treatments resulted in increased size ofO. insidiosus when compared to aphids and free water.     

Relationships of abscised cotton fruit to boll weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) feeding, oviposition, and development

Abscised cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., fruit in field plots planted at different times were examined to assess adult boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis grandis Boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), use of squares and bolls during 2002 and 2003 in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Although boll abscission is not necessarily related to infestation, generally more bolls abscised than squares and abundances of fallen bolls were not related to the planting date treatments. During 2003, fallen squares were most abundant in the late-planted treatment. Although large squares (5.5-8-mm-diameter) on the plant are preferred for boll weevil oviposition, diameter of abscised squares is not a reliable measurement because of shrinkage resulting from desiccation and larval feeding. Fallen feeding-punctured squares and bolls were most abundant in late plantings but differences between fallen feeding-punctured squares versus fallen feeding-punctured bolls were found in only one treatment in 2003. During the same year, fallen oviposition-punctured squares were more numerous in the late-planted treatment than in the earlier treatments. Treatment effects were not found on numbers of oviposition-punctured bolls, but fallen oviposition-punctured squares were more common than bolls in the late-planted treatment compared with earlier treatments each year. Dead weevil eggs, larvae, and pupae inside fallen fruit were few and planting date treatment effects were not detected. Living third instars and pupae were more abundant in fallen squares of the late-planted treatment than in the earlier treatments and bolls of all three treatments. This study shows that fallen squares in late-planted cotton contribute more to adult boll weevil populations than bolls, or squares of earlier plantings.     

Growth, development and parental investment in the spotted hyaena, Crocuta crocuta

In the Cervidae, sexual dimorphism in body mass, armament and structure of the breeding pelage appears to be, as in African antelope, a curvilinear function on openness of habitat. Sexes converge in characteristics towards male-like monomorphism in deer that hide in dense cover, as well as in gregarious, cursorial dwellers in open terrain. Relative antler mass correlates with weight dimorphism. The most cursorial species, the wapiti ( Cervus elaphus canadensis ) and the caribou ( Rangifer farandus ) converge towards male monomorphism, with the wapiti showing strong reduction in weight dimorphism (compared to red deer C. elaphus hippelaphus ), and structure of the breeding pelage, but not in weaponry. Male and female caribou converge strongly in the structure of the breeding pelage, less so in weaponry, and least in weight dimorphism; antlers in female caribou are thus comparable to horns in male-like females of plains bovids. In weight dimorphism, wapiti have almost reached the level of the African grazing antelopes of the tribes Alcelaphini and Orygini. Sexual dimorphism is maximal in mixed and concentrate feeders from semi-open landscapes.     

Effect of elicitors on the production of gossypol and methylated gossypol in cotton hairy roots

The effect of two chemical elicitors, salicylic acid and methyl jasmonate, on the production of gossypol, 6-methoxygossypol, and 6,6′-dimethoxygossypol in Gossypium barbadense hairy roots was examined. Methyl jasmonate, but not salicylic acid, was found to increase the production of gossypol and its methylated forms, but with a concomitant reduction in culture growth. The optimal methyl jasmonate dose was between 100 and 300 μM for hairy roots harvested 7 days after elicitation. After 20 d of induction with 100 μM methyl jasmonate, an eightfold increase in the level of gossypol was observed in elicited cultures compared with control cultures, double the highest gossypol levels previously reported for any cotton tissue. A two to threefold increase in the level of 6-methoxygossypol and a slight increase in the levels of 6,6′-dimethoxygossypol were also observed. Although methyl jasmonate stimulated the production of both optical forms of gossypol, the distribution of the enantiomers was different between elicited and control cultures.     

Oviposition deterrents in larval frass of the cotton boll worm, Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae): chemical identification and electroantennography analysis

Oviposition deterrents in the frass of cotton bollworm (CBW), Helicoverpa armigera larvae fed on an artificial diet (FA) and on cotton Gossypium hirsutum leaves (FC) were investigated by behavioral bioassays and electroantennography analyses in the laboratory. It was found that a water suspension or a hexane extract of the frass FA or FC, in contrast to the corresponding foods, significantly deterred oviposition of conspecifics. When hexane extracts of the frass FA and FC were further partitioned into polar and neutral lipid fractions, two polar fractions significantly reduced oviposition. The neutral fraction from frass FC also exhibited significant deterrence, although the activity was much lower than that of the corresponding polar fraction. The polar lipid fractions contained several fatty acids, mainly palmitic and oleic acid at the ratio nearly 1:1. A blend of authentic fatty acids of the same composition found in frass FA or FC mimicked the deterring effect. Moreover, these fatty acids and their blend at the ratio found in frass FA or FC elicited significant electroantennogram responses and typical dose-response curves. Thus, it is suggested that CBW larvae may deploy two types of oviposition deterrents: a non-specific and a specific one. The former is a blend of fatty acids, independent of food and plays an important role in oviposition deterrence, whereas the latter may be produced only when the larvae feed on cotton leaves. The possible explanations of this deployment have also been discussed.     

转Cry1Ac/1Ab基因棉花对异色瓢虫生长发育及其捕食功能的影响

【目的】为探究转Cry1Ac/1Ab基因棉花对异色瓢虫生长发育及其捕食功能的影响。【方法】以转Cry1Ac/1Ab基因棉与其亲本常规棉为实验材料,利用取食不同棉花品种叶片的棉铃虫饲喂异色瓢虫幼虫。【结果】与常规亲本棉相比,取食饲喂转基因棉花叶片的初孵棉铃虫幼虫的异色瓢虫幼虫从1龄发育至化蛹期时间延长0.77 d,但差异不显著;除1龄幼虫体重增加(0.0773 mg)外,其余各龄期幼虫体重均有所下降,但差异均不显著;异色瓢虫1、2、3、4龄幼虫对初孵棉铃虫捕食量均随棉铃虫密度的增加而增加,捕食功能反应均符合HollingⅡ圆盘方程。【结论】转Cry1Ac/1Ab基因棉花对异色瓢虫生长发育无显著影响,饲喂取食转Cry1Ac/1Ab基因棉花的棉铃虫对异色瓢虫捕食功能无显著差异。     

Nestling characteristics and identification of the lesser spotted eagle Aquila pomarina, greater spotted eagle A. clanga, and their hybrids

The lesser spotted eagle Aquila pomarina and the greater spotted eagle A. clanga are closely related endangered raptors whose taxonomic status, field identification, and ultimately conservation, have been complicated due to morphological similarity. However, the partial overlap in morphological features may also involve hybrids, which are known to exist, but which have so far been poorly described. This study investigated spotted eagle nestlings in Estonia, pre-identifying them according to mitochondrial DNA, nape patch and the appearance of their parents. Relative size of bill and toes (corrected for nestling growth) enabled us to separate the smaller A. pomarina, but hybrids were as large as A. clanga. All three groups had distinct plumages with hybrids being intermediate; the separation was clearest using both size and plumage indices. In all, 164 of 168 birds were correctly identified using a three-step procedure, separating: (1) A. clanga, having no nape patch; (2) 9 of 13 hybrids according to plumage index; and (3) the remaining hybrids by their large size (at least two features over the mean+2 SD values of A. pomarina). Knowing the sex helped to interpret size, but not plumage, characteristics, and its overall value for assisting identification was not high. The results support the view that spotted eagles with intermediate characters are usually hybrids which can be recognised by their appearance.Communicated by F. Bairlein     

Abundance of boll worm, flower beetle, predators and field colonization by Rhynocoris kumarii (Het., Reduviidae) following mulching and shelter provisioning in cotton

Abstract:  Field colonization of the assassin bug Rhynocoris kumarii Ambrose and Livingstone and biocontrol potential of predatory arthropods after mulching with sorghum trash and coconut leaflets and with shelter provisioning with pieces of clay pots and stones was studied in a cotton field experiment at the Agricultural College Farm, Killikulam, South India. Third and fourth nymphal instars of R. kumarii were released. There were fewer Helicoverpa armigera Hübner larvae in plots with mulched cotton trash than in control and other (mulched and shelter provisioned) plots. But mulching did not affect the number of adult Mylabris pustulata Thunberg. The flower and boll damage was significantly less in trash and leaflet mulch plots than in other shelter provisioned and control plots. The percentage of good quality cotton was also greater in mulch plots than in control plots. The yield of seed-cotton was also significantly greater in plots with trash mulches and coconut leaflet mulches than in control plots.     

Mating ability, longevity and fecundity of the spiny bollworm, Earias insulana (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

The mechanisms adopted to ensure mating success, fertility and fecundity of E. insulana (reared in the laboratory on an artificial diet) were studied. Male moths mate only once a night but mate several times (mean 4.2) during their life span. Females will mate up to 3 times per night and an average of 2.6 times over their life span. One spermatophore can nevertheless be sufficient for a female to lay fertile eggs throughout her life with no reduction in potential fecundity.A female moth is ready to mate by the second night after emergence. The preoviposition period is greatly prolonged in unmated females. Thus if mating is delayed up to about the 9th night, eggs are saved to be laid, after mating, as fertile eggs. If mating is delayed to a greater extent, thus occurring after egg laying has already begun, the potential reduction in reproduction is not very great, because of the low daily (and total) egg-laying rate before mating and the increased longevity of unmated females.It appears reasonable to expect egg production to be substantially reduced only when a marked reduction in the effective proportion of adult males in a population is achieved.

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Résumé Cette étude porte sur les mécanismes qui assurent le succès des accouplements, la fertilité et la fécondité d'E. insulana, élevé sur aliment artificiel en laboratoire.Les papillons mâles s'accouplent plusieurs fois (en moyenne 4, 2) au cours de leur vie mais seulement une fois par nuit et 2,6 fois en moyenne au cours de leur vie. Un seul spermatophore peut néanmoins être suffisant pour permettre à une femelle de pondre des oeufs fertiles tout au long de sa vie, sans réduction de sa fécondité potentielle.Un papillon femelle est apte à s'accoupler dès la 2ème nuit après l'émergence. La période de préoviposition est très prolongée chez les femelles non accouplés. Ainsi, si l'accouplement est retardé jusque vers la 9ème nuit, les oeufs sont conservés et peuvent être pondus après accouplement en demeurant fertiles. Si l'accouplement est retardé plus longtemps, après que la ponte ait déjà commencé, la réduction potentielle de la reproduction n'est pas très grande, en raison du faible taux de ponte journalier avant l'accouplement et de la longévité accrue des femelles vierges.Il semble que l'on quisse s'attendre à une réduction substantielle de la ponte seulement quand intervient une nette diminution du nombre des mâles présents dans la population

     

Larval growth inhibition of the spiny bollworm,Earias insulana, by some steroidal secondary plant compounds

The effect of 23 secondary plant compounds including a series of steroidal aglycones and glycosides, on larval growth and pupation ofEarias insulana (Boisd.) was investigated. Larvae did not develop when fed on artificial diets containing 0.2% solamargine, solasonine, tomatine, digitonin, saponin, nomilin, lawsone or coumarin. Some growth-retarding activity was found with diets containing 0.2% ajmalicine, capsaicin, quercetin, glycyrrhizin and glycerrhetic acid. The eight compounds highly active at 0.2% were also bioassayed at 0.1, 0.05 and 0.01%: larvae did not pupate when fed on diets containing 0.1% solasonine, tomatine or nomilin, whereas solamargine and coumarin were active even at 0.05%. Preliminary structure-activity relationships were evaluated for the active steroidal glycosides.

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Larvale Wachstumshemmung des ägyptischen Baumwollkapselwurms, Earias insulana,durch einige steroide sekundäre Planzeninhaltstoffe

Zusammenfassung Es wurde die Wirkung von 23, einem künstlichen Nährmedium einverleibten, sekundären Pflanzeninhaltstoffen, unter ihnen eine Reihe steroider Aglucone und Glycoside, auf das Larvenwachstum und die Verpuppung vonEarias insulana untersucht. Larven entwickelten sich nicht in mit 0.2% Solamargin, Solasonin, Tomatin, Digitonin, Saponin, Nomilin, Lawsone und Coumarin versetzten Nährmedien. Auf Medien, die 0.2% Ajmalicin, Capsaicin, Quercetin, Glycyrrhizin and Glycyrrhetinsäure enhielten, war das Larvenwachstum verzögert. Die 8 bei 0.2% hoch wirksamen·Substanzen wurden auch bei 0.1, 0.05 und 0.01% getestet. Die Larven verpupten sich nicht auf 0.1% Solasonin, Tomatin und Nomilin und auf 0.05% Solamargin und Coumarin. Vorläufige Struktur-Wirksamkeit-Beziehungen wurden für die aktiven steroiden Glycoside vorgeschlagen.

     

Interactions between dietary nitrogen and simulated autumn conditions on diet consumption and reproductive development in the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis

ABSTRACT. Dietary nitrogen content and short-day, cool scotophase temperature were investigated for effects on diet consumption and reproductive development in the female boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis Boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Experimental weevils were maintained from the day of adult eclosion on cottonseed flour diets on a LD10:14 h, 27:15C cycle. Control weevils were maintained under long-day conditions (LD13:11) at a constant 27C.
Diets containing 4% and 1.7% N were labelled with a ¹⁴C-amino acid mixture and fed to individual females for 24 h to permit determinations of diet consumption rate, amino acid absorption, and reproductive allocation of the assimilated amino acids.
Females fed the 1.7% N diet under long-day, 27C laid 50% fewer eggs than females fed the 4% N diet under the same regimen. Egg production was depressed further by the 1.7% N diet when combined with short-day, and cool scotophase temperatures. These latter conditions delayed, but did not prevent, attainment of a high rate of egg production by females fed the 4% N diet.
The short-day, cool temperature regimen also stimulated diet consumption but reduced the allocation of absorbed ¹⁴C amino acids towards oogenesis.