Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Water stress and kaolin spray affect herbivorous insects’ success on cotton

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Arthropod-Plant Interactions Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Ecological hypotheses of plant–insect herbivore interactions suggest that insects perform better on weakened plants and plants grown under optimal conditions are less damaged. This study tested the hypothesis that the colonization and oviposition rates by pests with different feeding strategies and levels of specialization are affected in different ways by two conditions commonly faced by commercially grown plants–water deficit and application of kaolin sprays, a reducer of abiotic plant stressors. We used four major pests of cotton as insect herbivore models. Three were chewing Lepidoptera: Alabama argillacea (Hüb.), a monophagous pest on cotton; Heliothis virescens (Fabr.), which is polyphagous, but with cotton as a primary host; and Chrysodeixis includens (Walk.), which is polyphagous, with cotton as secondary host. The fourth pest was a sap-sucking species, the polyphagous whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gen.). In both choice and no-choice trials, the three chewing pests oviposited significantly less upon water-stressed plants; the greatest effect was observed for C. includens (>90 % reduction in oviposition under choice and >58 % under no-choice conditions). In contrast, the sap-sucking B. tabaci exhibited statistically more colonization and oviposition on water-stressed plants. Application of kaolin sprays reduced colonization and oviposition by all herbivore species tested, irrespective of irrigation regime and feeding strategies.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alavo TBC, Yarou BB, Atachi P (2010) Field effects of kaolin particle film formulation against major cotton lepidopteran pests in North Benin, West Africa. Int J Pest Manag 56:287–290

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barros EM, Torres JB, Ruberson JR, Oliveira MD (2010) Development of Spodoptera frugiperda on different hosts and damage to reproductive structures in cotton. Entomol Exp Appl 137:237–245

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bestete LR, Torres JB, Silva RBB, Silva-Torres CSA, Bastos CS (2016) Development of cotton pests exhibiting different feeding strategy on water-stressed and kaolin-treated cotton plants. J Pest Sci. doi:10.1007/s10340-016-0773-4

    Google Scholar 

  • Blaney WM, Simmonds MSJ (1988) Food selection in adult and larvae of three species of Lepidoptera: a behavioral and electrophysiological study. Entomol Exp Appl 49:111–121

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chidawanyika F, Midega CAO, Bruce TJA, Duncan F, Pickett JA, Khan ZR (2014) Oviposition acceptance and larval development of Chilo partellus stemborers in drought-stressed wild and cultivated grasses of East Africa. Entomol Exp Appl 151:209–217

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Colares F, Silva-Torres CSA, Torres JB, Barros EM, Pallini A (2013) Influence of cabbage resistance and colour upon the diamondback moth and its parasitoid. Entomol Exp Appl 148:84–93

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coley PD (1983) Herbivory and defensive characteristics of tree species in a lowland tropical forest. Ecol Monogr 53:209–233

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Feng X, Porporato A, Rodriguez-Iturbe I (2013) Changes in rainfall seasonality in the tropics. Nat Clim Chang 3:811–815

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glenn DM, Prado E, Erez A, McFerson PG (2002) A reflective, processed-kaolin particle film affects fruit temperature, radiation reflection, and solar injury in apple. J Am Soc Hortic Sci 127:188–193

    Google Scholar 

  • Gripenberg S, Mayhew PJ, Parnell M, Roslin T (2010) A meta-analysis of preference performance relationships in phytophagous insects. Ecol Lett 13:383–393

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Huberty AF, Denno RF (2004) Plant water stress and its consequences for herbivorous insects: a new synthesis. Ecology 85:1383–1398

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Inbar M, Doostdar H, Mayer RT (2001) Suitability of stressed and vigorous plants to various insect herbivores. Oikos 94:228–235

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lambert L, Heatherly LG (1995) Influence of irrigation on susceptibility of selected soybean genotypes to soybean looper. Crop Sci 35:1657–1660

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liang G, Liu TC (2002) Repellency of a kaolin particle film, surround, and a mineral oil, sunspray oil, to silverleaf whitefly (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) on melon in the laboratory. J Econ Entomol 95:317–324

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lima MS, Torres JB (2011) Produção da toxina Cry1Ac e preferência para alimentação e oviposição de Alabama argillacea em algodão Bt sob estresse hídrico. Pesqu Agropec Bras 46:451–457

    Google Scholar 

  • Mattson WJ Jr, Haack RA (1987) The role of drought in outbreak of plant-eating insects. Bioscience 37:110–118

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miles PW, Aspinall D, Rosenberg L (1982) Performance of the cabbage aphid, Brevicoryne brassicae (L.), on water-stressed rape plants, in relation to the changes in their chemical composition. Aust J Zool 30:337–345

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Moreshet S, Cohen Y, Fuchs ME (1979) Effect of increasing foliage reflectance on yield, growth, and physiological behavior of a dryland cotton crop. Crop Sci 19:863–868

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Neves RCS, Colares F, Torres JB, Santos RL (2014) Rational practices to manage boll weevils colonization and population growth on family farms in the Semiárido region of Brazil. Insects 5:818–831

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Oliveira MD, Barbosa PRR, Silva-Torres CSA, Silva RR, Barros EM, Torres JB (2014) Reproductive performance of striped mealybug Ferrisia virgata Cockerell (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) on water-stressed cotton plants subjected to nitrogen fertilization. Arthropod Plant Interact 8:461–468

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Perkins LE, Cribb BW, Hanan J, Glaze E, Beveridge C, Zalucki MP (2008) Where to from here? The mechanisms enabling the movement of first instar caterpillars on whole plants using Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner). Arthropod Plant Interact 2:197–207

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Price PW (1991) Plant vigor and herbivore attack. Oikos 62:244–251

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramaswamy SB (1988) Host finding by moths: sensory modalities and behaviors. J Insect Physiol 34:235–249

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramaswamy SB, Ma WK, Baker GT (1987) Sensory cues and receptors for oviposition by Heliothis virescens. Entomol Exp Appl 43:159–168

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Renwick JAA, Chew FS (1994) Oviposition behavior in Lepidoptera. Annu Rev Entomol 39:377–400

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • SAS Institute (2002) SAS/STAT User’s guide, release 9.0. SAS Institute, Cary

    Google Scholar 

  • Showler AT (2002) Effects of water deficit stress, shade, weed competition and kaolin particle film on selected foliar free amino acid accumulations in cotton Gossypium hirsutum (L.). J Chem Ecol 28:631–651

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Showler AT, Castro BA (2010) Influence of drought stress on Mexican rice borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) oviposition preference in sugarcane. Crop Prot 29:415–421

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Silva CAD, Ramalho FS (2013) Kaolin spraying protects cotton plants against damages by boll weevil Anthonomus grandis Boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). J Pest Sci 86:563–569

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Silva-Torres CSA, Oliveira MD, Torres JB (2013) Host selection and establishment of striped mealybug, Ferrisia virgata, on cotton cultivars. Phytoparasitica 41:31–40

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sisterson MS, Liu YB, Kerns DL, Tabashnik BE (2003) Effects of kaolin particle film on oviposition, larval mining, and infestation of cotton by pink bollworm (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae). J Econ Entomol 96:805–810

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Spinoni J, Naumann G, Carrao H, Barbosa P, Vogt J (2014) World drought frequency, duration, and severity for 1951–2010. Int J Climatol 34:2792–2804

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Torres JB, Ruberson JR (2006) Spatial and temporal dynamics of oviposition behavior of bollworm and three of its predators in Bt and non-Bt cotton fields. Entomol Exp Appl 120:11–22

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • White TCR (1969) An index to measure weather-induced stress of trees associated with outbreaks of psyllids in Australia. Ecology 50:905–909

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was partially supported by the agencies “Fundação de Amparo a Ciência e Tecnologia do Estado de Pernambuco (FACEPE)” project APQ-0168-5.01/15; by “Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior” (CAPES)” with grant to LRB; and by “Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)” with grants to RBBS and JBT, special thanks to Dr. Janice Matthews and Robert Matthews (University of Georgia, USA) for their comments and suggestions on the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Agronomia, Entomologia, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Rua Dom Manoel de Medeiros s/n, Dois Irmãos, Recife, Pernambuco, 52171-900, Brazil

    Luziani R. Bestete, Jorge B. Torres, Rebecca B. B. Silva & Christian S. A. Silva-Torres

Authors
  1. Luziani R. Bestete
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jorge B. Torres
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Rebecca B. B. Silva
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Christian S. A. Silva-Torres
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jorge B. Torres.

Additional information

Handling Editor: John F. Tooker.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Bestete, L.R., Torres, J.B., Silva, R.B.B. et al. Water stress and kaolin spray affect herbivorous insects’ success on cotton. Arthropod-Plant Interactions 10, 445–453 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11829-016-9454-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11829-016-9454-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation