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Biology of Megalotomus parvus (Hemiptera: Alydidae) on Selected Leguminous Food Plants

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Abstract

Laboratory studies with Megalotomus parvus (Hemiptera: Alydidae), feeding on seeds or pods of legumes, and on different parts of the soybean plant, Glycine max, demonstrated that nymphal survivorship, developmental time and body weight at adult emergence, and adult reproductive parameters, survivorship, longevity and body weight changes, exhibited differences depending on the food source utilized. In general, mature soybean seeds (R8 stage) were the most suitable food. The greatest nymph and adult survivorship and the greatest adult longevity were obtained from this food source. Body weight at certain ages and fecundity of females was also greater on mature soybean seeds than on the other foods. Immature soybean seeds for nymphs, and soybean pods for adults, were the second most suitable food, followed by green beans, Phaseolus vulgaris and immature lupin, Lupinus luteus seeds (for nymphs) and lupin pods (for adults); nymph and adult performance was drastically reduced on lupin seeds/pods and no nymphs survived to adult on soybean stems or leaves. On all foods tested, duration of the nymphal stages differed significantly, with the first stage being the shortest, and the fifth the longest. Females achieved significantly greater body weight than males on all foods, except on lupin pods. Results of these laboratory studies and those of field observations suggest that mature soybean seeds are the most important food source in the seasonal phenology of M. parvus

Résumé

Megalotomus parvus (Hemiptera: Alydidae) se nourrissant de graine ou de cosse de legumes et de differentes parties du soya (Glycine max) etudiés au laboratoire. Les resultats obtenus ont demontré que la survie des nymphes, la durée du developpement et le poids des adultes a l’emergence, les parametres de reproduction, de survie, longevité et le changement du poids des adultes montrent une difference qui depend de la source de nourriture. En generale, les graines de soya (R8) murs representaient l’alimentation la plus suitable. La plus importante survie ainsi que longevité des nymphes et des adultes furent avec cet aliment (graine de soya). Le poids a un age bien determiné et la fecondité des femelles étaient plus elèvés sur les graines de soya mures que les autres aliments. Les graines de soya pas murs et la cosse du soya ont été respectivement les aliments les plus suitables pour les nymphes et les adultes suivit du pois verts (Phaseolus vulgaris), les graines du lupin (Lupinus luteus) pour les nymphes et la cosse pour les adultes. La performance des nymphes et des adultes fut drasticalement reduite sur les graines et la cosse du lupin et aucune nymphe a survecu jusqu’à l’age adulte sur la tige ou les feuilles du soya. La durée du developpement des nymphes a montré une difference significative dependant du stage sur tous les aliments testés. Les femelles peuvent avoir une valeur significative plus grande que les males en se nourrissant de tous les aliments excepté la cosse du lupin. Les resultats obtenus au laboratoire et sur le terrain prouvent que les graines de soya murs sont les plus importantes source d’aliment dans la phenologie du M. parvus.

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Panizzi, A.R. Biology of Megalotomus parvus (Hemiptera: Alydidae) on Selected Leguminous Food Plants. Int J Trop Insect Sci 9, 279–285 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742758400006147

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742758400006147

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