Measurement of grass grub resistance of bean in a controlled environment

Abstract

Controlled environment conditions were used to compare growth of individual third instar larvae on bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) -the roots of which contain phaseollin, a highly active feeding deterrent to larvae of grass grub, Costelytra zealandica (White) -with that on lotus (Lotus pedunculatus Cav.) and white clover (Trifolium repens L.) as resistant and non-resistant controls respectively. After 28 days, 94.6% of larvae were recovered undamaged. Larval weight gain on bean (78 mg) indicated that bean is resistant relative to white clover (108 mg gain) but not as resistant as lotus (62 mg gain). Extracts from roots were examined in toxicity and feeding deterrent bioassays and in chemical analyses. The use of controlled environment conditions provided a sensitive method for measuring resistance of plants.

Effects of plant identity and diversity on the dietary choice of a soil‐living insect herbivore

“…Landau et al (1994) found that cnicin, a sesquiterpene lacton of the Asteraceae Centaurea maculosa, was strongly toxic to the larvae of a generalist noctuid moth. Moreover, Dawson et al (2002) found that grass grubs (Costelytra zealandica) grew better when feeding on Trifolium than on other legumes (Prestidge et al 1985, Gaynor et al 1986). The authors attributed this to the low concentrations of chemical deterrents in Trifolium.…”

Foraging in the Dark – Chemically Mediated Host Plant Location by Belowground Insect Herbivores

“…It was not established which compounds in the blend were attractive for root herbivores are sugars (50 %), whereas secondary compounds tend to 'deter' further feeding. The isoflavonoids, in particular, have been reported as having deterrent effects on generalist root herbivores (Sutherland et al, 1980;Russell et al, 1982;Lane et al, 1985;Gaynor et al, 1986). However, as discussed above, one isoflavonoid (formononetin) had 'attractive' properties for the specialist clover root weevil (Sitona lepidus) (Johnson et al, 2005).…”

Impact of Tipula paludosa larvae on plant growth and the soil microbial community

“…to other pasture species (Gaynor et al, 1986;Prestidge et al, 1985). This has been attributed to low levels of chemical deterrent in Trifolium (Gaynor et al, 1986). However, white clover has the potential to produce HCN when damaged (Daday, 1985) which is known to deter feeding by slugs and has been shown to reduce damage by Sitona spp.…”

“…The grass grub (Costelytra zealandica) has also been shown to prefer Trifolium spp. to other pasture species (Gaynor et al, 1986;Prestidge et al, 1985). This has been attributed to low levels of chemical deterrent in Trifolium (Gaynor et al, 1986).…”