Image analysis of small animal feeding behavior

Rowley, Marc; Stitt, Joseph P.; Hanson, Frederick W.

doi:10.3758/bf03195522

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…While videographic analyses were proposed earlier to measure leaf consumption from a limited number of larvae (Ji et al 2017;Rowley and Hanson 2007;Rowley et al 2003), our system is the first to run on such a large sample of insects and to analyze the time course of the feeding. Using 3D-printed cages and simple equipment, a common computer, and a webcam, we were able to follow the feeding activities and movements of 150 larvae during several days.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…So far, very few systems have been described to perform such tests on a large number of insects at once. Most experimental setups used image analysis to measure leaf disk area consumed by few larvae either visually (Jones and Coleman 1988), or digitally (Alchanatis et al 2000;Escoubas et al 1993), and very few systems allow to track feeding activities over time (Ji et al 2017;Rowley and Hanson 2007;Rowley et al 2003). These approaches are well suited to laboratory investigations on small scale series, but handle a limited number of repetitions and often make use of specialized and expensive hardware.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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High-Throughput Feeding Bioassay for Lepidoptera Larvae

et al. 2021

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Finding plant cultivars that are resistant or tolerant against lepidopteran pests, takes time, effort and is costly. We present here a high throughput leaf-disk consumption assay system, to screen plants for resistance or chemicals for their deterrence. A webcam capturing images at regular intervals can follow the feeding activities of 150 larvae placed into individual cages. We developed a computer program running under an open source image analysis program to analyze and measure the surface of each leaf disk over time. We further developed new statistical procedures to analyze the time course of the feeding activities of the larvae and to compare them between treatments. As a test case, we compared how European corn borer larvae respond to a commercial antifeedant containing azadirachtin, and to quinine, which is a bitter alkaloid for many organisms. As expected, increasing doses of azadirachtin reduced and delayed feeding. However, quinine was poorly effective at the range of concentrations tested (10–5 M to 10–2 M). The model cage, the camera holder, the plugins, and the R scripts are freely available, and can be modified according to the users’ needs.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

High-Throughput Feeding Bioassay for Lepidoptera Larvae

et al. 2021

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“…Subsequent replay of the images permitted visual evaluation of area consumed. Observer error was estimated at ± 5%; this was determined with spot checks by another observer and using area‐measuring software written in our laboratory specifically for disc tests (Rowley et al., ; Rowley & Hanson, ). For the first 50 min of each experiment when rapid changes in consumption were occurring, all images were evaluated.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Innate and acquired components of oligophagy in the herbivorous lepidopteran, Manduca sexta

Gretes

Stanwyck

Hanson

2016

Entomologia Exp Applicata

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Innate and acquired aspects of oligophagy were investigated in the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta L. (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae), a species normally restricted to members of the family Solanaceae. Larvae were reared in the laboratory on solanaceous species tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.), strawberry groundcherry (Physalis pruinosa L.), and potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), as well as the nonsolanaceous foods cowpea [Vigna sinensis (L.) (Fabaceae)], rapeseed [Brassica napus L. (Brassicaceae)], and artificial diet. Feeding assays were conducted using the above plants plus corkscrew vine [Vigna caracalla (L.) Verdc. (Fabaceae)], lettuce [Lactuca sativa L. (Asteraceae)], and moist glassfiber filter paper. Larval feeding was characterized using two camera-monitored assays: (1) a quantitative no-choice disc test that determines consumption over time, delays in initiation of feeding, and % of larvae rejecting the food, and (2) a novel no-choice emigration test that measures how soon a larva abandons a whole plant. Experimental results from both assays revealed that larvae displayed high levels of acceptance of Solanaceae regardless of whether they had been reared on solanaceous or non-solanaceous food. We conclude that solanaceous oligophagy in M. sexta is primarily innate and does not require (but may be strengthened by) previous feeding experience on Solanaceae. In contrast, larvae tested on non-solanaceous plants or moist filter paper showed large variation in both acceptance of foods and emigration times that were strongly dependent on the food on which they had been reared (analogous to the 'induction of preference' of earlier literature). Two types of induction were identified: an increase in acceptability of a plant of (1) the same species as the one on which the larva was reared, or (2) a related species. These discoveries both challenge and expand our current understanding of oligophagy in the tobacco hornworm.

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“…So far, very few systems have been described to perform such tests on large numbers of insects at once. Most experimental setups used image analysis to measure leaf disk area consumed by larvae either visually [7,10], or digitally [15][16][17][18][19]. These approaches are well suited to laboratory investigations on small scale series, but handle a limited number of repetitions and often make use of specialized and expensive hardware.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A semi-automated design for high-throughput Lepidoptera larvae feeding bioassays

Zoungrana

Legrand

Dillmann

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Lepidopteran pests cause considerable damage to all crops over the world. As larvae are directly responsible for these damages, many research efforts are devoted to find plant cultivars which are resistant against them. However, such studies take time, efforts and are costly, especially when one wants to not only find resistance traits but also evaluate their heritability. We present here a high throughput approach to screen plants for resistance or chemicals for their deterrence, using a leaf-disk consumption assay, which is both suitable for large scale tests and economically affordable. To monitor larvae feeding on leaf disks placed over a layer of agar, we designed 3D models of 50 cages arrays. One webcam can sample simultaneously 3 of such arrays at a rate of 1 image/min, and follow individual feeding activities in each cage as the movements of 150 larvae. The resulting image stacks are first processed with a custom program running under an open-source image analysis package (Icy) to measure the surface of each leaf disk over time. We further developed statistical procedures running under the R package, to analyze the time course of the feeding activities of the larvae and to compare them between treatments. As a test case, we compared how European corn borer larvae respond to quinine, considered as a bitter alkaloid for many organisms, and to Neemazal containing azadirachtin, which is a common antifeedant against pest insects. We found that increasing doses of azadirachtin reduce and delay feeding. However, contrary to our expectation, quinine was found poorly effective at the range of concentrations tested. The 3D printed model of the cage, of the camera holder, the plugins running under Icy, and the R procedures are freely available, and can be modified according to the particular needs of the users.

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Image analysis of small animal feeding behavior

Cited by 4 publications

References 7 publications

High-Throughput Feeding Bioassay for Lepidoptera Larvae

High-Throughput Feeding Bioassay for Lepidoptera Larvae

Innate and acquired components of oligophagy in the herbivorous lepidopteran, Manduca sexta

A semi-automated design for high-throughput Lepidoptera larvae feeding bioassays

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