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Title: DEVELOPMENT OF A MERIDIC DIET FOR THE COLORADO POTATO BEETLE, LEPTINOTARSA DECEMLINEATA (SAY)

Author
item DOMEK, JOHN - UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND
item Cantelo, William
item Deahl, Kenneth

Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/20/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: The Colorado potato beetle is the most destructive pest of potatoes in the northern hemisphere. Heavy dosages of insecticides are used to control it. Only cotton and corn crops exceed potatoes in the amount of pesticide applied. Research to improve control of the CPB has been hindered by the short time each year that it is available in large numbers, having only one or two generations a year. If a synthetic diet were available, it would be possible to rear large numbers of the potato beetle of uniform vigor at any time of the year. Based on this need, a completely synthetic diet was developed that supports the rearing of the Colorado potato beetle through all its developmental stages. By identifying the constituents of potato foliage and including them in experimental diets, a diet was produced that supported beetle growth from egg to adult. This will enable the beetle to be reared without requiring greenhouses and supporting staff. The diet will be valuable to workers who need to rear bug predators of the beetle that are released to augment the native bug population.

Technical Abstract: Foliage of the potato, Solanum tuberosum, was analyzed previously to determine its nutritional content. This information was used to help develop a meridic diet for rearing the Colorado potato beetle (CPB), Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say. Various test diets were prepared, and types and concentrations of proteins, amino acids, carbohydrates, and ascorbic acid were tested for their influence on growth and weight gain of larvae reared from the egg stage on diet. At 2.8% protein or less, neither egg albumin nor casein produced adults CPBs. Adults were reared with casein concentrations of 3.0 and 4.2%, but not at 5% casein. An abbreviated list of foliar amino acids was as effective as the complete foliar complement in the rearing of adults. Oat flour or potato flakes were suitable carbohydrate sources for rearing to the adult stage. The composition of a meridic diet is presented which was used for rearing the CPB from the egg to the adult stage in the absence of host plant material.