FEEDING PREFERENCES OF A FLEA BEETLE, PHYLLOTRETA CRUCIFERAE (COLEOPTERA: CHRYSOMELIDAE), AMONG WILD CRUCIFERS

1998 ◽  
Vol 130 (2) ◽  
pp. 241-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Palaniswamy Pachagounder ◽  
Robert J. Lamb

The crucifer flea beetle, Phyllotreta cruciferae (Goeze), feeds primarily on plants in the Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) (Feeny et al. 1970). Introduced from Europe, it is now a widespread pest of canola, Brassica napus L. and Brassica rapa L., in North America (Lamb and Turnock 1982; Weiss et al. 1991). Before canola occupied so much crop land in western Canada, flea beetles were present and presumably fed mostly on wild crucifers. These native and weedy crucifers are potential sources of resistance genes that might be transferred to canola. We examine feeding preferences of flea beetles among nine wild crucifers (Table 1) to determine which, if any, are avoided. The suitability of these plants has already been examined for another crucifer-feeding chrysomelid, the red turnip beetle, Entomoscelis americana Brown (Gerber and Obadofin 1981; Gerber 1984), and the feeding responses of the beetles are compared.

1998 ◽  
Vol 130 (3) ◽  
pp. 385-386 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Palaniswamy ◽  
F. Matheson ◽  
R.J. Lamb

Water stress, especially wilting, can increase the susceptibility of plants to herbivory by insects (Holtzer et al. 1988). Insects as diverse as locusts and leaf-cutting ants prefer wilted foliage (Bernays and Lewis 1986; Vasconcelos and Cherrett 1996). Palaniswamy et al. (1997) observed that the crucifer flea beetle, Phyllotreta cruciferae (Goeze) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), fed on excised and wilted foliage of Thlaspi arvense L. (Cruciferae) but not on intact and turgid foliage. If water stress can make unpalatable plants more palatable, identifying robust resistance to pests such as flea beetles will be difficult. The purpose of this study was to determine whether wilting affects feeding by the crucifer flea beetle and in particular if wilting differentially affects feeding on preferred and nonpreferred plants.


1979 ◽  
Vol 111 (12) ◽  
pp. 1345-1353 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. G. Wylie

AbstractPhyllotreta cruciferae (Goeze) was usually the most abundant flea beetle on crops of Argentine rape, Brassica napus L., in Manitoba, followed in order by Phyllotreta striolata (F.) and Psylliodes punctulata Melsh. These three species and small numbers of Phyllotreta bipustulata (F.) were present on volunteer rape in the spring. A few specimens of a fifth rape-eating species, Phyllotreta robusta Lee, were trapped in April after hibernating. The three main species were recorded in all 16 localities in which samples of flea beetles on rape crops and/or volunteer rape were collected. Details of seasonal life history of each species are presented, as well as data on the abundance of the three main species throughout the year on rape crops, in overwintering habitats and on volunteer rape in spring. The relative abundance of P. cruciferae, P. striolata, and Ps. punctulata in different rape-growing areas of Manitoba is discussed.


2005 ◽  
Vol 85 (1) ◽  
pp. 225-235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca H. Hallett ◽  
Heather Ray ◽  
Jennifer Holowachuk ◽  
Juliana J. Soroka ◽  
Margaret Y. Gruber

A bioassay arena and a laboratory screening protocol were developed for assessing lines of Arabidopsis thaliana L. (Heynh.) for feeding damage by the adult crucifer flea beetle, Phyllotreta cruciferae (Goeze). The arena consists of a 96-well microtitre plate with a modified top to contain flea beetles and allow ventilation. Eight lines of A. thaliana, arranged in an 8 × 8 Latin square design, were screened simultaneously in each arena using 50 starved flea beetles. Two cotyledons and the first pair of true leaves per plant were rated visually under a dissecting microscope using a visual damage rating scale. The protocol was used to screen 29 wild ecotypes, eight mutant lines and a single transgenic line of A. thaliana. Discrimination between both cotyledon and leaf tissue was apparent for young beetles that were both non-reproductive or reproductive, but not for old reproductive beetles. Differences were observed between Asian and European ecotypes of A. thaliana, suggesting that geographic origin may play a role in susceptibility of Arabidopsis ecotypes to flea beetle feeding. The transparent testa regulatory gene mutants (lines 82, 111, 164) were most susceptible to flea beetle feeding, possibly indicating a role for anthocyanins and/or flavonoids in governing flea beetle susceptibility. Significant variation in damage levels indicates that expression of flea beetle resistance in the A rabidopsis genome is plastic, and that potential exists to use the wide array of publicly available Arabidopsis germplasm as tools in the transfer of resistance to agronomically important host plants. Key words: Seedling bioassay, Arabidopsis thaliana, wild ecotypes and mutants, crucifer flea beetle, Phyllotreta cruciferae, host plant resistance


1991 ◽  
Vol 71 (2) ◽  
pp. 397-404 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. P. Bodnaryk ◽  
R. J. Lamb

Seedlings of Brassica napus L. 'Westar' or Sinapis alba L. 'Ochre' grown from seeds of various size were offered to flea beetles, Phyllotreta cruciferae (Goeze) in feeding tests for damage assessment. The proportion of cotyledon area damaged in both species was highest for seedlings grown from small seeds in choice and no-choice feeding tests. The proportion of seedlings killed by flea beetle feeding was also highest in seedlings from small seeds, an effect that was especially pronounced at high beetle densities (10/seedling) where 100% of seedlings from small seeds of B. napus were killed compared to 28.3% of seedlings from big seeds. For S. alba, at 20 beetles/seedling, 45.4% of seedlings from small seeds were killed compared to only 9.1% of seedlings from big seeds. Seedlings grown from big seeds of S. alba tolerated low levels of damage caused by flea beetle feeding or by scissors. No evidence for tolerance was obtained for seedlings from small seeds of S. alba or for seedlings from big or small seeds of B. napus. "Big seeds" appears to be a desirable trait that enhances crucifer seedling resistance to flea beetle attack and results in increased seedling survival. Key words: Brassica napus 'Westar', Sinapis alba 'Ochre', Phyllotreta cruciferae, flea beetle, seed size, resistance


2000 ◽  
Vol 80 (4) ◽  
pp. 881-887 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. E. Gavloski ◽  
U. Ekuere ◽  
A. Keddie ◽  
L. Dosdall ◽  
L. Kott ◽  
...  

All currently registered varieties of canola/oilseed rape, Brassica napus and B. rapa, are susceptible to attack by flea beetles, although to varying degrees. The development of resistant cultivars would be an environmentally acceptable means to reduce the damage caused by flea beetles. Seedlings from 10 species of Brassicaceae were evaluated for levels of antixenosis resistance to flea beetles in the laboratory, along with 308 Sinapis alba/B. napus hybrids. Thlaspi arvense and 11 cultivars of S. alba were resistant to feeding by flea beetles. In addition, 34 S. alba/B. napus hybrids were resistant to feeding by flea beetle in at least one test, although many of these failed to demonstrate resistance with repeated testing. One hybrid line was resistant to feeding by flea beetles each of the four times it was tested, while another was resistant in three out of four tests. These data indicate that resistance to flea beetles within the Brassicaceae is a genetic trait and can be transferred by interspecific hybridization. This information is the first step towards introgression of genetic sources of flea beetle resistance from resistant relatives into canola varieties. Key words: Flea beetles, Phyllotreta cruciferae, Brassica, resistance, antixenosis, introgression


1987 ◽  
Vol 119 (5) ◽  
pp. 495-496 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Burgess ◽  
C.F. Hinks

Predation on adults of the crucifer flea beetle, Phyllotreta cruciferae (Goeze), by the northern fall field cricket, Gryllus pennsylvanicus Burmeister, was recorded in laboratory tests to identify predators of flea beetles that attack canola and mustard crops. In these tests, four field-collected adult crickets all ate live adult P. icruciferae, as did 15 of 16 lateinstar cricket nymphs. The tests were carried out in 60 by 20 mm disposable plastic Petri dishes, with a stoppered hole to facilitate introduction of flea beetles. A filter paper liner in the bottom of the dish gave the insects a firm footing.


2007 ◽  
Vol 139 (4) ◽  
pp. 534-544 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.H. Elliott ◽  
M.C. Benjamin ◽  
C. Gillott

AbstractLaboratory experiments were conducted to evaluate the contact and oral toxicity of commercial formulations of spinosad and deltamethrin to adults of the crucifer flea beetle, Phyllotreta cruciferae (Goeze). Method of exposure had a significant effect on flea beetle mortality and feeding damage to canola seedlings. Topical treatment of flea beetles with deltamethrin or different concentrations of spinosad resulted in significantly lower mortality and higher feeding damage than exposure to treated canola cotyledons. Results indicated that spinosad was more toxic by ingestion than by topical contact. Mortality from treated cotyledons was significantly higher with 60 ppm deltamethrin than with 80 or 120 ppm spinosad after 24 h exposure but not after 120 h exposure. Delayed mortality in the spinosad treatments did not result in high feeding damage; damage after 120 h was not significantly different in the spinosad and deltamethrin treatments. Low concentrations of spinosad (40 ppm) strongly inhibited feeding activity within 24 h after exposure. Mortality from spinosad was higher after beetles were exposed to treated cotyledons for 120 h than for 24 h. Mortality from spinosad, but not deltamethrin, was significantly higher at 25 °C than at 15 °C. An ionic surfactant, polyethylenimine, increased the toxicity of 40 ppm spinosad. Our study suggests that spinosad has potential for use as an insecticide against crucifer flea beetles on canola.


1993 ◽  
Vol 73 (2) ◽  
pp. 615-623 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. J. Lamb ◽  
P. Palaniswamy ◽  
R. P. Bodnaryk ◽  
P. B. E. McVetty ◽  
S. E. Jeong

Seventy-seven inbred lines of Brassica napus L. were assessed for antixenosis to damage by die crucifer flea beetle, Phyllotreta cruciferae (Goeze). The resistance was quantified by measuring the level of damage inflicted on seedlings of each line in laboratory tests. One of these lines, M12, was more susceptible than another line, L19, in a series of replicated tests, but individual seedlings could not be identified as resistant or susceptible because inter-seedling variation in the damage level was high. The F3 families from reciprocal crosses between L19 and M12 showed segregation for the resistance, demonstrating that the antixenosis has a genetic basis. Two or more genes probably control the expression of the resistance, but the number could not be estimated. Electrophoresis of seed endosperm proteins revealed a band, P-74, that occurred in M12 and eight cultivars of B. napus, but not in L19. This banding pattern was inherited as a simple recessive allele, but it proved not to be linked with the resistance in the F3 families. Further screening of B. napus for highly resistant genotypes and identification of linked genetic markers are needed to establish agronomically useful levels of flea beetle resistance in this crop. Key words: Insecta, resistance, canola, electrophoresis, endosperm proteins


1998 ◽  
Vol 130 (2) ◽  
pp. 235-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Palaniswamy Pachagounder ◽  
Robert J. Lamb ◽  
Robert P. Bodnaryk

AbstractFeeding damage by the crucifer flea beetle, Phyllotreta cruciferae (Goeze), was assessed on 51 accessions of false flax, Camelina sativa L., and compared with damage to seven other crucifer species. Three experiments were conducted on seedlings in laboratory arenas infested with field-collected beetles. Feeding damage was estimated visually at daily intervals for up to 7 days. Natural infestation of false flax and other crucifers was observed in the field. Flea beetles fed little (0–10% consumption) on cotyledons or true leaves of any of the false flax accessions, and fed more (59–100% consumption) on the other crucifers. Flea beetles were observed sitting on false flax in the field, sometimes in high numbers, but they did not feed. In the laboratory, beetles eventually fed on cotyledons and leaves and once feeding was initiated, it tended to continue. Resistance in false flax may result from the absence of cues that initiate feeding, rather than a feeding deterrent. The high level of resistance in false flax would likely be economically beneficial if this species is developed as an oilseed crop. False flax could also be useful experimentally for identifying the cues that attract flea beetles to plants and stimulate their feeding.


1994 ◽  
Vol 126 (6) ◽  
pp. 1369-1375 ◽  
Author(s):  
W.J. Turnock ◽  
S.A. Turnbull

AbstractThe contact toxicities of 11 insecticides were determined with a Potter spray tower using adults of crucifer flea beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) collected from three locations over a 3-year period. Flea beetles collected from an experimental farm at London, Ontario, where no insecticides had been used, were compared with those from canola-growing areas near Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and Winnipeg, Manitoba. Lindane, in a seed dressing, is widely used in both Saskatchewan and Manitoba whereas carbofuran, as in-furrow granules, has been more heavily used in Manitoba than in Saskatchewan. The flea beetles from Winnipeg were significantly less susceptible to all three carbamates tested (carbofuran, carbaryl, oxamyl) than those from Saskatoon or London. Both the Winnipeg and Saskatoon flea beetles were significantly less susceptible to methamidophos than the London population but not to the other organophosphates, the organochlorine (endosulfan), or the pyrethroids that were tested. These differences may indicate resistance in the Manitoba population, but this low level would not affect the efficacy of the currently recommended insecticides. The results emphasize the need to develop control strategies that will minimize the chances that the level of resistance will increase.


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