Grape variety affects larval performance and also female reproductive performance of the European grapevine moth Lobesia botrana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae).
2006
Moreau, Jérôme | Benrey, Betty | Thiéry, Denis | Institut de Zoologie ; Université de Neuchâtel = University of Neuchatel (UNINE) | Santé Végétale (SV) ; Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-École Nationale d'Ingénieurs des Travaux Agricoles - Bordeaux (ENITAB) | Project funded by the National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) Plant Survival, a research programme of the Swiss National Science Foundation
8 pages
Show more [+] Less [-]International audience
Show more [+] Less [-]English. For insect herbivores, the quality of the larval host plant is a key determinant of fitness. Therefore, insect populations are supposed to be positively correlated with the nutritional quality of their host plant. This study aimed to determine if and how different varieties of grapes (including the wild grape Lambrusque) affect both larval and adult performance of the polyphagous European grapevine moth Lobesia botrana (Denis & Schifferm?r). Significant differences were found in larval development time, but not in pupal mass, adult emergence rate, or sex ratio. Although the fecundity of females is not different among varieties, females fed on some varieties produced eggs of different sizes which are correlated to their fertility. Thus, females adapt resource allocation to eggs depending on their diet as larvae. Using a fitness index, the average reproductive output was found to be highest for females reared on cv. Chardonnay. Females reared on wild grape produced a fitness index identical to the cultivated grapes. However, Lambrusque and Gewurztraminer separate themselves from the cultivated varieties according to our discriminant analyses. It is emphasized, through this study, that cultivars fed on by larvae should be considered in the population dynamics of L. botrana and that egg number is insufficient to determine host plant quality.
Show more [+] Less [-]Bibliographic information
This bibliographic record has been provided by Institut national de la recherche agronomique
