Plant-mediated effects of water-deficit stress on the performance of the jujube lace bug, Monosteira alticarinata Ghauri (Hemiptera: Tingidae) on Jujube tree

Abstract

Drought phenomenon as a consequence of climate change may become a major limiting factor for agricultural systems, and its impacts on plant-insect interactions are only partially understood. Addressing this issue, life-history responses of the jujube lace bug were evaluated on jujube tree under three water treatments (control, moderate and severe drought stress). Performance responses of the jujube lace bug were evaluated under controlled conditions using arenas consisting of jujube leaves inside Petri dishes. Plant biochemical measurements showed that leaf chlorophyll a, b, and total chlorophyll content, were higher in moderate water stress treatment than other treatments while Total Soluble Solids, total carbohydrate, and proline concentrations were increased in drought stress. Also, the lowest amount of carotenoid, phosphorous, sodium content was measured in severe drought stress treatment. The life history responses of Monosteira alticarinata showed that mean oviposition period and life span were statistically higher on moderate water stress than other treatments. The lowest intrinsic rate of increase (r), the finite rate of increase (λ), the net reproductive rate (R0), gross rate reproduction (GRR), total fecundity, and the highest doubling time (DT) were measured on severely drought stress treatment. An increase on the performance of the lace bug can be due to an increase on the chlorophyll, nitrogen, protein and free amino acids in moderate water stressed plants. However in severe stress it do worse. Overall, this study revealed that sap feeders benefit from moderate water stress.