Diet breadth modulates preference - performance relationships in a phytophagous insect community

Abstract

In most phytophagous insects, larvae are less mobile than adults and their fitness depends on the plant chosen by their mother. To maximize fitness, adult preference and larval performance should thus be correlated. This correlation is not always apparent and seems to increase with the level of specialisation, i.e. specialists have a stronger preference for high quality host plant species compared to generalists. The aim of this study was to test whether the relationship between female preference and larval performance was stronger for specialists than for generalists within a community of fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae). A total of six fruit fly species was used, including four generalists, and two specialists co-existing in La Reunion island (France). We estimated oviposition preference through the number of eggs laid and larval performance through the larval survival on 29 different host plants species belonging to 15 families in the laboratory and evaluated the relationship between these two traits. Preference-performance relationship differed according to the degree of specialisation with a strong positive correlation for specialists and no relationship for generalists. These results substantiate the theory that choosing high quality hosts is more important for specialists that are adapted to survive on fewer host plants than for generalists.

Oviposition Preference of the Cabbage Root Fly towards Some Chinese Cabbage Cultivars: A Search for Future Trap Crop Candidates

“…This "optimal bad motherhood" hypothesis [13] appears for example when the potentially most suitable plant host for larvae is unsuitable for adult fitness and thus unattractive to mothers. Oligophagy increases the likelihood that the same plant species is best for the fitness of adults and larvae, so that oligophagous insects are less likely to be "optimal bad mothers" than polyphagous ones [14,15].Knowledge about insect host selection and preferences can be used to develop integrated pest management (IPM) strategies where the crop to be protected from a pest can be cultivated in combination with a far more attractive host plant used as a trap crop [16,17]. The trap crop diverts the pest from the main crop, which decreases economic damage.…”

“…This "optimal bad motherhood" hypothesis [13] appears for example when the potentially most suitable plant host for larvae is unsuitable for adult fitness and thus unattractive to mothers. Oligophagy increases the likelihood that the same plant species is best for the fitness of adults and larvae, so that oligophagous insects are less likely to be "optimal bad mothers" than polyphagous ones [14,15].…”

How bean weevil (Acanthoscelides obtectus, Coleoptera, Bruchinae) larvae die on legume seeds

“…Other important factors (chemicals, further physical, environmental, life-history traits, mobility, predators, host genotype, etc.) that in uence host selection [8,10,25,26, and others) were not investigated. In addition, experience may promote acceptance of ANHs [27,Szentesi unpubl.…”

“…The strength of the relationship seems dichotomous according to the degree of host specialization of herbivorous insects. Specialists show strong positive preference-performance relationships, whereas in generalists it may not exist at all [8,10]. Several studies did not nd genetic correlations between adult preference and larval performance either [11,12].…”

Nutritional Ecology of the Southern Green Stink Bug <i>Nezara viridula</i> (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) on Selected Varieties of Cowpea and Tomato

“…However, to the best of our knowledge, there are no studies on the utilization and performance of N. viridula on cowpea and tomato, two important hosts of the pest. Changes in nutrient composition of the plant plays a vital role in food choice and performance responses by phytophagous insects [25][26][27]. In this study, we investigated the nutritional ecology of N. viridula on cowpea and tomato.…”