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Limiting the potential for intraspecific competition: regulation of Trioza eugeniae oviposition on unexpanded leaf tissue

2001; Wiley; Volume: 26; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1046/j.1365-2311.2001.00340.x

1365-2311

Patrick A. Luft, T. D. Paine, Richard A. Redak,

Insect-Plant Interactions and Control

Summary 1. Trioza eugeniae (Homoptera: Triozidae) females oviposit pre‐ ferentially on the margin of young, incompletely expanded Syzygium paniculatum leaves. As the density of eggs on the leaf increases, females will oviposit on the surface of the leaf blades. 2. The survivorship of eggs laid on the abaxial leaf midrib and near the abaxial leaf margin was significantly greater than that of eggs laid on the leaf margin. 3. Controlled environment studies demonstrated that maximum carrying capacity for T. eugeniae nymphs on a fully expanded leaf is approximated closely by the number of eggs that can be laid on the margin of a young, unexpanded leaf. 4. In field populations, nymphal densities fell below the hypothetical carrying capacity calculated from laboratory studies on 71% of the leaves examined. 5. The leaf margin appears to be a proximal cue used by ovipositing females for resources available to developing nymphs. Females that limit oviposition to available leaf margins appear to improve the probability of survival of their progeny through reduced intraspecific competition.