Herbivory by sucking mirid bugs can reduce nectar production in Asphodelus aestivus Brot.

Abstract

This experimental study focused on the effects of a mirid bug herbivore, Capsodes infuscatus on the flower nectar yield of a Mediterranean geophyte, Asphodelus aestivus. The effects of increasing densities of adult C. infuscatus bugs on A. aestivus, on the nectar volume and concentration were examined. Significant decreases were found in the number of flowers and nectar production as C. infuscatus densities increased. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) showed that nectar production was not affected by environmental variables (air temperature, relative air humidity and day-time) that were treated as covariates for the various bug herbivory intensities. Sugar concentration did not vary significantly among treatments, indicating that abiotic conditions were not responsible for differing nectar amounts. In light of A. aestivus's dependence on pollinator visits to produce seeds, we conclude that C. infuscatus could impair pollination success by reducing the amount of nectar in flowers. To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first to show that insect herbivores do not necessarily have to remove segments from the flower in order to decrease nectar secretion.

Is there a missing link? Effects of root herbivory on plant–pollinator interactions and reproductive output in a monocarpic species

“…When infested, plants had fewer flowers and were smaller than non‐infested plants. Similar indirect effects of aboveground herbivory were also found on number of flowers (Mothershead & Marquis ; Hladun & Adler ; Samocha & Sternberg ) and plant height (Poveda et al . ; Hunt‐Joshi et al .…”

“…nectar production (Fang et al . ; Samocha & Sternberg ), flower size (Mothershead & Marquis ; Ivey & Carr ), floral display (Samocha & Sternberg ), flowering period (Poveda et al . ), plant volatile emission (Kessler et al .…”

The Role of Abiotic Environmental Conditions and Herbivory in Shaping Bacterial Community Composition in Floral Nectar

“…1A) [37], [38]. According to Samocha and Sternberg [39] the plants' environmental conditions (time of day, temperature and relative humidity) do not affect nectar sugar concentration, which was found to be ∼60% [39].…”

Izhakiella capsodis gen. nov., sp. nov., in the family Enterobacteriaceae, isolated from the mirid bug Capsodes infuscatus

“…Capsodes infuscatus bugs (Hemiptera: Miridae) deposit eggs inside the inflorescence stalk of its host (Asphodelus aestivus). By feeding on A. aestivus plants, these bugs suppress development of the inflorescence and significantly reduce nectar and fruit production (Ayal & Izhaki, 1993;Ayal, 1994;Samocha & Sternberg, 2010). Capsodes infuscatus adults were collected from different individual A. aestivus plants in Ramat Hanadiv near Zichron Ya 'acov,Israel (32.555658 N 34.948288 E).…”