Influence of adult diet on the reproductive biology and survival of the western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera
1990
Elliott, N.C. | Gustin, R.D. | Hanson, S.L.
Adult corn rootworm beetles, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, were maintained on three dietary regimes which mimicked the progression of corn tissues that would be available in the field for beetles eclosing when corn was in the following growth stages: (A) after tassels had emerged but prior to silking and pollen shed; (B) while plants were silking and shedding pollen; and (C) after pollination was complete and silks had turned brown. A fourth regime (D) was established in which green corn silks, pollen, and leaves were provided throughout the study. The mean number of eggs laid per female over the 12-week duration of the study was 125, 235, 179, and 441 for regimes A, B, C, and D, respectively. Median length of life was 7.2, 7.2, 6.7, and 8.8 weeks for regimes A, B, C, and D respectively. Beetles in regime A laid a greater proportion of their eggs at an older age than did beetles from regimes B and C. To further investigate the influences on survival of changes in food quality of corn as plants and beetles aged, newly-eclosed beetles and beetles that had been maintained in caged plots of corn growing in a greenhouse for various lengths of time were caged on corn at different stages of growth, and the proportion of beetles surviving for 48 h was determined. Survival decreased as plants aged for both groups of beetles, but decreased at a faster rate for old than for young beetles.
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