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Title: MEASUREMENT OF NUTRIENT REWARDS FOR PREDATORS CONSUMING WHITEFLIES: STEROLS FROM BEMISIA ARGENTIFOLII

Author
item Cohen, Allen
item SMITH, LISA - UNIV OF AZ, PHOENIX, AZ
item Brummett, Donald

Submitted to: Silverleaf Whitefly: 1997 Supplement to the Five Year National Research and
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/1/1997
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Predatory arthropods are generally thought to meet their sterol requirements from their prey's cholesterol content. We tested the sterol content of some predators (Chrysoperla carnea, Geocoris punctipes and serangium parcesetosum) and whiteflies B. argentifolii to determine the relationship between predators and prey with respect to sterols that are a crucial part of an arthropod predator's nutrient reward. We found that the whiteflies are composed mainly of plant sterols (B-sitosterol, stigmasterol and campesterol, as well as an unknown substance that elutes with the sterol fraction in TLC and GLC separations). Only about 13% of the whitefly's sterol composition is cholesterol. This means that predators of whiteflies must be able to deal with plant sterols, or they cannot use whiteflies as a prey.