Original scientific paper

THE DEVELOPMENT OF CATERPILLARS OF GYPSY MOTH (Lymantria disparL.) FEEDING ON FOOD AFFECTED BY NITROGEN

Emanuel Kula ; Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic
Alena Pešlová ; Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic
Petr Martinek ; Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic
Pavel Mazal ; Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic

Abstract

Summary
In laboratory rearing, affects were monitored of the differentiated content of nitrogen (17.17–38.89 mg.g–1) in birch (Betula pendula Roth) leaves on the development, mortality and consumption of food of caterpillars of Lymantria dispar L. The low content of nitrogen in food was the cause of the higher mortality of caterpillars, smaller weight of pupae and the prolongation of development. Caterpillars of future males fed on food with the insufficient content of nitrogen needed the higher amount of food to complete their development. This experiment supported a hypothesis that spring phytophages preferred tissues with the higher content of nitrogen. Caterpillars can respond to the above-standard content of nitrogen similarly as to the lack of nitrogen.

Keywords

nitrogen; stress; Betula pendula; Lymantria dispar; caterpillars; laboratory rearing; development

Hrčak ID:

98736

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/98736

Publication date:

28.2.2013.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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