Influence of different diets and oviposition substrates on Lygus rugulipennis biology (Heteroptera: Miridae)
2007
Salerno, G.,Universita di Perugia (Italy). Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Ambientali - Entomologia | Frati, F.,Universita di Perugia (Italy). Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Ambientali - Entomologia | Conti, E.,Universita di Perugia (Italy). Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Ambientali - Entomologia | Bin, F.,Universita di Perugia (Italy). Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Ambientali - Entomologia
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different diets on the development and reproduction of Lygus rugulipennis. Using 2 laboratory generations (F1 and F2) obtained from field-collected L. rugulipennis, the following diets were tested: beans, beans plus Tenebrio molitor pupae, and a commercial artificial diet, which was developed for mass rearing of Lygus hesperus. As oviposition substrates, beans and agar/parafilm rolls were used. Our data show that both the artificial diet and the artificial oviposition substrate were ineffective substitutes for beans for both laboratory generations. Stage-dependent and total survival rates clearly indicated that F1 Lygus bugs survive significantly longer when they are reared on vegetable substrates, i.e. beans and beans plus pupae. The differential effects of the diets were more pronounced in the F2 generation, in which the embryonic development was longer for eggs from females reared on the artificial diet than on beans, and in which the second instar nymphs did not survive on the artificial diet. Both the total duration of post-embryonic development and the longevity of F1 males were shorter on the artificial diet than on beans. Female fecundity was affected by diet in terms of total duration of the oviposition period and mean number of eggs laid/female, since these parameters were lower on the artificial than on the bean substrate. However, the diet did not affect the morphological parameters. Since L. rugulipennis cannot be reared on the commercially available artificial diet, we discuss the necessity to improve both the artificial diet and oviposition substrate.
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