Development, Survivorship, and Reproduction of Toxoptera Citricida (Kirkaldy) (Homoptera: Aphididae) on Eight Host Plants

Abstract

The development, survivorship, longevity, and reproduction of the brown citrus aphid, Toxoptera citricida (Kirkaldy), were studied on 8 commonly grown plants in the laboratory. Immature survival at 25 ± 1°C on rough lemon, Citrus jambhiri Lush.; sour orange, C. aurantium L.; grapefruit, C. paradisi Macfadyen; key lime, C. aurantifolia Swing.; box orange, Severinia buxifolia (Poir). Tenore; calamondin, X Citrofortunella microcarpa (Bunge) Wijnands; lime berry, Triphasia trifolia (Burm. f.) P. Wilson, and orange jassamine, Murraya paniculata (L.) Jack were 82.0, 93.5, 93.3, 88.3, 53.1, 86.5, 41.6, and 62.8%, respectively. Developmental times for the immature stages among populations on rough lemon, sour orange, grapefruit, and key lime were similar (5.9–6.2 d). Longer development periods (6.5–7.2 d) occurred on box orange, calamondin, lime berry, and orange jassamine. The average number of nymphs reproduced per female were 58.8, 43.0, 34.1, 42.5, 32.7, 17.7, 20.8, and 23.0 on sour orange, grapefruit, key lime, rough lemon, calamondin, box orange, lime berry, and orange jassamine, respectively. Female adults lived an average of 22.1, 19.5, 17.5, 18.0, 22.8, 16.3, 22.6, and 14.6 d on these same hosts. The intrinsic rate of natural increase ( r m) for brown citrus aphid on grapefruit was highest. Jackknife estimates of r m varied from 0.381 on grapefruit to 0.183 on lime berry. The mean population generation time on these hosts ranged from 9.7 to 12.2 d. These hosts could support brown citrus aphid populations when the new flushes are not available in commercial citrus groves.