Ascorbic acid and other chelating agents in the trace-mineral nutrition of the aphid myzus persicae on artificial diets
1976
MITTLER, T.E.
Growth of the aphid Myzus persicae fed artificial diets in which the required trace minerals (Fe, Cu, Mn, and Zn) were incorporated as chlorides was compared to growth on diets in which the minerals were supplied as sodium EDTA complexes. If the mineral chlorides were allowed to interact with L ascorbic acid prior to their incorporation into a diet, much less ascorbic acid was needed than if the ascorbic acid was added after incorporation of the mineral chlorides into a diet. Low levels of D ascorbic acid or citric acid acted similarly to L ascorbic acid. This was presumably by chelating the minerals. The complexes thus formed not only maintained the minerals in solution for ingestion but appeared to facilitate their utilization by the aphids. However, higher levels of L ascorbic acid were needed by the insects, presumably for purposes other than trace-mineral nutrition, when they were maintained for longer periods on the diets. Deterioration in the nutrient value of diets during 2-4 days at experimental temperatures was less with diets containing minerals complexed with citric acid than with ascorbic acid. Dietary riboflavin was detrimental to aphid growth. However, it was not established that this was the result of mineral deprivation through the formation of nutritionally unavailable mineral/riboflavin complexes. Enterobactine added to a diet effectively deprived the aphids of available iron. Higher levels of dietary iron could overcome such a deficiency.
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