Effect of host plant on the fitness of the spittlebug Notozulia entreriana: alternative method for rearing

MACIÁ, ARNALDO; VIRLA, EDUARDO; FOIERI, ALVARO; REMES LENICOV, ANA M.; MACIÁ, ARNALDO; VIRLA, EDUARDO; FOIERI, ALVARO; REMES LENICOV, ANA M.

ENTOMOLOGIA EXPERIMENTALIS ET APPLICATA

Blackwell Publishing Ltd

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2020 vol. 168 p. 618 - 625

0013-8703

Among the species belonging to 11 genera of Neotropical spittlebugs attacking graminaceous plants,Notozulia entreriana (Berg) (Hemiptera: Cercopidae) is one of the most important pests of grasses inseveral countries of South America. In this study, we evaluate the influence of three economically relevantspecies of host plants (Poaceae) on life-cycle traits of N. entreriana.We tested for differences infitness responses (survival and fecundity) of insects on forage species which are frequent hosts forwild populations of spittlebugs. Comparison of life cycles on three host plants showed that only 2.5%of nymphs completed their development on Zea mays L., 22.5% on Chloris gayana Kunth, and 95%on Brachiaria decumbens Stapf. All the above suggests that C. gayana and B. decumbens are able tosustain complete development, behaving like natural hosts; the latter species is superior for artificialcolonies because a shorter developmental period, higher survivorship in nymphs, and longer lifespanof adults were observed. Zeamays did not allow proper development, causing highmortality instead.We also developed a new approach for small-scale breeding of N. entreriana, which will enable subsequentbiological and behavioral studies on this important pest species.