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Title: COTTON LEAF SURFACE FEATURES SERVE AS BEHAVIORAL CUES TO SILVERLEAF WHITEFLIES

Author
item Cohen, Allen
item Chu, Chang Chi
item Henneberry, Thomas
item FREEMAN, THOMAS - NORTHERN CROPS, FARGO, ND
item Nelson, Dennis

Submitted to: Sweetpotato Whitefly Progress Review Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/1/1996
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: We examined cotton leaves looking for correlations between surface structures and vascular bundles, using standard light, confocal and electron microscopy. Using placement of eggs, nymphal positions and crawler behavior, we evaluated the responses of whitefly nymphs to the surface features. We found that all aerial trichomes originated from epidermal cells immediately abaxial or adaxial to vascular bundles, including a hair cotton isoline DPL115 containing 48 trichomes/CM sq. Leaf surface microstructures such as elongated epidermal cells were always evident wherever vascular bundles were present, including even the most minute bundles. Of 2000 aerial trichomes that were examined, 100 p originated from vascular bundle-associated epidermal cells. Eggs were generally deposited on the elongated epidermal cells associated with bundles or on cells within about 30 microns of those bundle associated epidermal cells. Crawlers walked about 2300 microns per minute until they settled upon feeding sites that were immediately under the vascular bundles, never more than about 60 microns from the center of the abaxial bundle-associated epidermal cells. Crawlers spent at least 80 p of their time in contact with bundle associated epidermal cells, making contact with these cells either with legs or antennae.