Environmental Entomology (1989) 18, 473-480

Elaine A. Backus and Wayne B. Hunter (1989)
Comparison of feeding behavior of the potato leafhopper Empoasca fabae (Homoptera Cicadellidae) on alfalfa and broad bean leaves
Environmental Entomology 18 (3), 473-480
Abstract: A quantitative comparison was made of the feeding behavior of the potato leafhopper; Empoasca fabae (Harris), on the leaves of two host plants, alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and broad bean (Vicia faba L.), using an AC electronic feeding monitor. Results showed significant differences in feeding between the two hosts, primarily because of the variable occurrence of still-styyet ingestion, a behavior (correlated with the I_c waveform) that may indicate ingestion of phloem sap. The similarities between the hosts were due to the dominance of the lacerate-and-flush feeding style in mesophyll and perhaps some phloem tissues, represented by the I_a waveform. Differences in feeding between hosts probably contribute to the wide host range of this species, as well as the differences in feeding injury on these two crop plants.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Database assignments for author(s): Wayne Hunter, Elaine A. Backus

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Empoasca fabae	Alfalfa/lucerne (Medicago sativa)
	Empoasca fabae	Broad/faba bean (Vicia faba)