Phytoparasitica (2006) 34, 139-148

Gabriela Zemkova Rovenska and Rostislav Zemek (2006)
Host plant preference of aphids, thrips and spider mites on GNA-expressing and control potatoes
Phytoparasitica 34 (2), 139-148
Abstract: The effect of snowdrop lectin (Galanthus nivalis agglutinin; GNA) expression on hostplant preference was examined with a two-choice disc test. Discrimination between a transgenic potato [Solanum tuberosum (Solanaceae)] capable of synthesizing GNA, and an isogenic cultivar, was studied under laboratory conditions using the glasshouse potato aphid Aulacorthum solani (Hemiptera: Aphididae), the onion thrip Thrips tabaci (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), and the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae). Adults of these species were placed individually on leaf discs (one half transgenic and one half control) and observed 1, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h after release, at which times also the distributions of A. solani nymphs and T. urticae eggs on the discs were recorded. Aphids were found more frequently on control leaves at all observation periods, with the highest bias observed at 72 h (only 35.9% of all aphids were found on the GNA halves). Similarly, more aphid nymphs (57.6% of the total) were found on isogenic half-discs. The percentage of thrips found on GNA halves ranged from 36.8% to 48.4%, with significant control-potato bias at the first three observations. Contrary to this, the proportion of T. urticae females found on GNA halves was significantly lower than the expected proportion (0.5) at 72 and 96 h, with a minimum of 34.0% on GNA. The distribution of spider mite eggs reflected the observed biased distribution of females (only 34.1% of all eggs were laid on GNA half-discs). These results indicate that potatoes expressing GNA for resistance against aphids are less preferred than an isogenic cultivar by all three tested species under a choice test condition using excised leaves.
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Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Rostislav Zemek

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
resistance/tolerance/defence of host

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Tetranychus urticae	Potato (Solanum tuberosum)
	Aulacorthum solani	Potato (Solanum tuberosum)
	Thrips tabaci	Potato (Solanum tuberosum)