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Title: Effect of pollutant dose on the response of Mexican bean beetle (Coleoptea: Coccinellidae) to SO/sub 2/-induced changes in soybean

Journal Article · · Environ. Entomol.; (United States)
OSTI ID:6984880

Larvae of the Mexican bean beetle, Epilachna varivestis Mulsant, grew larger when fed on soybean foliage fumigated for 24 h with SO/sub 2/ at concentrations of 131 to 1834 ..mu..g m/sup -3/ than when fed on nonfumigated leaves. Relative weight gain was not linear against SO/sub 2/ concentration in the range sampled; it was greatest when leaves were fumigated with ca. 786 ..mu..g m/sup -3/ and less pronounced at either higher or lower concentrations. Smaller relative weight gains, also having a maximum at a concentration of approximately 786 ..mu..g m/sup -3/, were found when larvae were reared on foliage allowed 24 h in which to recover from fumigation. No effect on growth was observed when plants were fumigated with 65 ..mu..g m/sup -3/, indicating a threshold for effect between 65 and 131 ..mu..g m/sup -3/ under the conditions of these tests. Change in the plant induced by fumigation, as indicated by growth response of the insects, was rapid, occurring in less than 6 h when plants were fumigated at a concentration of 1310 ..mu..g m/sup -3/; recovery of the plant from an exposure was slow relative to response time.

Research Organization:
Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Ithaca, NY
OSTI ID:
6984880
Journal Information:
Environ. Entomol.; (United States), Vol. 14:6
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English