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Title: FEEDING CHAMBER AND DIET FOR CULTURE OF NYMPHAL SILVERLEAF WHITEFLY BEMISIA ARGENTIFOLII (HOMOPTERA: ALEYRODIDAE)

Author
item DAVIDSON, ELIZABETH - UNIV OF AZ, TEMPE, AZ
item JANCOVICH, JAMES - UNIV OF AZ, TEMPE, AZ
item LAVINE, MARK - UNIV OF AZ, TEMPE, AZ
item Hendrix, Donald

Submitted to: Peanut Research at Oklahoma State University
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/1/1997
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: A feeding chamber and diet were developed for rearing Bemisia argentifolii (Bellows and Perring) from eggs to fourth instar under aseptic conditions. The feeding apparatus consisted of a plastic diet chamber covered with stretched Parafilm which was held in place by another piece of plastic and binder clips. Surface-sterilized eggs were placed on the Parafilm, and the chamber was incubated in a Petri dish at 90-95% relative humidity, 25-27 D C and a photoperiod of 16:8 (light:dark). The most successful diet consisted of 5% yeast extract in 30% sucrose. Developmental times of 1st, 2nd and 3rd instar nymphs were 4.6, 3.4 and 4.2 days, respectively, which is comparable to development times on plants. Although whitefly nymphs can be reared on this diet to 4th instar, complete development to the adult stage was not achieved. The utility of the feeding system was demonstrated in bioassay with Ivermectin. The whitefly parasitoid, Encarsia sp., oviposited and developed to adults on B. argentifolii larvae reared on the artificial feeding chamber. We suggest that this chamber will be useful for the study of the physiology, parasitoids, feeding behavior, and development of this insect, as well as for bioassay of potential intoxicants.