Plant Protection Science (1997) 33, 9-15

Alois Honek and Ivo Novak (1997)
Chlorophyll content and leaf damage by Oulema larvae in winter wheat
Plant Protection Science 33 (1), 9-15
Abstract: We investigated the relationship between chlorophyll content, leaf size, and specific area of the flag leaves and proportion of leaf area eaten by larvae of cereal leaf beetles [Oulema spp., largely O. melanopus (L.)]. The test was performed in a winter wheat stand of the cv. Zdar (at 28 sites) and a stand of cv. Hana (30 sites). Plant quality as well as proportion of leaf area eaten by Oulema larvae varied between sites. The leaf damage was correlated positively with leaf chlorophyll content (partial r = 0.519 and 0.142 in cv. Zdar and Hana, resp..), but was not significantly affected by leaf size and specific leaf area. Multiple correlation with three investigated plant qualities explained a significant proportion of the variance in average leaf damage in cv. Zdar (r² = 0.330, p < 0.05) which was less damaged by Oulema larvae (average 2.6% of the flag leaf area eaten), but was not significant in the more damaged stand of cv. Hana (7.6% leaf area eaten). Since leaf chlorophyll content is correlated with plant vigour, it appears to be a convenient predictor of damage by Oulema larvae.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Database assignments for author(s): Alois Honek

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
damage/losses/economics

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Oulema melanopa	Wheat (Triticum)