Thermal requirements and development of the Korean population of the potato leafminer, Liriomyza huidobrensis (Diptera: Agromyzidae)

Abstract

The development of Liriomyza huidobrensis (Blanchard), is an important pest of potato, was examined at six constant temperatures (10, 15, 20, 25, 27 and 30°C) on kidney bean, Phaseolus vulgaris L. Results showed the temperature-related ecological niche of L. huidobrensis might be narrow. The total development period (egg to adult) decreased with increasing temperature from 15–27°C, although no egg hatched at 10°C and no pupae survived at 30°C. The linear model estimated the lower developmental threshold of eggs, larvae, pupae, and total immature stage as 10.17, 10.37, 9.08 and 9.64°C, respectively, and the thermal requirement as 34.54, 65.51, 137.62 and 247.04 degree-days (DD), respectively. The development rates were fitted to Lactin's nonlinear model, and the lower, upper, and optimal temperatures for development were estimated as 9.8, 30.0 and 26.0°C, respectively. Female sex ratio of the surviving individuals was 0.62. Thermal requirements and temperature thresholds can be used to forecast the occurrence, number of generations, and population dynamics of L. huidobrensis.