Summary
Each sex of the cotton leafhopper and the rice brown planthopper communicates with the opposite sex by certain specific sound vibrations which travel through the plant surface and lead to mating. External sounds of certain frequencies, viz., 200 c/sec, generated by a harmonium or an audio-oscillator are picked up from the air by the plants and interrupt the acoustic communication as well as mating of the insects. Notes with harmonics are effective whereas pure notes are ineffective.
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The authors gratefully acknowledge P.L. 480 grant No. FG-IN-551 from the US Department of Agriculture for project No. IN-ARS-90, under which this work was carried out.
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Saxena, K.N., Kumar, H. Interruption of acoustic communication and mating in a leafhopper and a planthopper by aerial sound vibrations picked up by plants. Experientia 36, 933–936 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01953800
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01953800