Abstract
Despite the fact that sap-feeding hemipterans are major agricultural pests, little is known about the pea aphid’s (Acyrthosiphon pisum) nymphal development, compared to other insect models. Given our limited understanding of A. pisum nymphal development and variability in the naming/timing of its developmental events between different environmental conditions and studies, here, we address developmental knowledge gaps by elucidating how diet impacts A. pisum nymphal development for the LSR1 strain when it develops on its universal host plant (Vicia faba), isolated leaves, and artificial diet. Moreover, we test how plant age and transgenerational stressors, such as overcrowding and low plant vigor, can affect nymphal development. We also validate a morphological method to quickly confirm the life stage of each nymphal instar within a mixed population. Overall, we found extremely high variation in the timing of developmental events and a significant delay in nymphal (~5–25-h/instar) and pre-reproductive adult (~40-h) development when reared on isolated leaves and artificial diets, compared to intact host plants. Also, delays in development were observed when reared on older host plants (~9–17-h/event, post 2nd instar) or when previous generations were exposed to overcrowding on host plants (~20-h delay in nymph laying) compared to controls.
Highlights
Sap-feeding insects within the insect order Hemiptera are major agricultural pests and vector a diversity of plant diseases [1]
We address developmental knowledge gaps in elucidating how diet and transgenerational stressors impact aphid development by measuring A. pisum nymphal development for the LSR1 strain when it develops on its universal host plant (Vicia faba), in addition to other common experimental conditions frequently used by the research community, such as isolated leaf samples and artificial diet
Siphunculus lengths for each developmental stage were significantly different from sequential stages (ANOVA: p < 0.05 for all comparisons), and there was no overlap in measurements between sequential stages. These results suggest that siphunculus length is an excellent measurement to use as a no-kill tool and proxy to predict the nymphal instar of A. pisum developing on whole plants
Summary
Sap-feeding insects within the insect order Hemiptera are major agricultural pests and vector a diversity of plant diseases [1]. While plant-feeding Hemiptera consists of many diverse lineages of taxa, aphids often serve as a model system for genomics. While A. pisum may be an important sap-feeding pest model, very little is known about its nymphal development compared to insect models that belong to other insect orders. While understanding the development of these polyphenisms is extremely important in aphids, having a deeper understanding of nymphal development is important because while these phenotypes are visible in adult life stages, patterning and fate specification occur during embryonic and nymphal life stages
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.