Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

Award Date

1970

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department / School

Entomology

Abstract

The four species of cereal aphids used in this study were the English grain aphid, Macrosiphum avenae (Fab.), the oat bird-cherry aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi, the greenbug, Schizaphis graminum (Rondani), and the corn leaf aphid, Rhopalosiphum maidis (Fitch). Aphid colonies were maintained on barley CI 666 in the greenhouse. Only active adult apterae from the stock colonies were counted into the cages. All tests were run in Percival or Sherer controlled environment chambers operating from 2O°C to 27°C, and with a photoperiod of 16 hours of light (3,000 Ft-c supplied by fluorescent and incandescent bulbs). The complex synthetic diet used in this investigation was based on the nutritional studies of Mittler and Dadd (1962, 1963b, 1965b, 1965c); and on the diet formulated by Auclair and Cartier (1963) for the pea aphid, A. pisum, modified for use with cereal aphids by Kieckhefer and Derr (1967). The Parafilm (Marathon Corp.) feeding sachets used herein were based on the methods and procedures of Mittler and Dadd. The diet-containing sachets were changed daily to enhance survival and reproduction. KODAK®wratten photographic filters provided light intensity and color gradients. The Wratten filters used were selected to represent discreet fractions of the visible spectrum and to be relatively stable under continuous exposure to light. In order to provide varying light intensities, various densities of Wratten filter No. 96 were used. Spectrophotometric tests comparing new and used filters showed no deterioration of filters after a month’s exposure to light. This study was conducted in two phases: a performance phase, and a preference phase. In the performance phase, the aphids were confined under one neutral density or one color filter and their survival and reproduction observed. The performance phase was run with three sets of filters: neutral density, similarly colored and distinctly colored. In the preference phase, the aphids were allowed to feed under a neutral density or color filter of their choice, and their survival and reproduction observed.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Aphididae

South Dakota State University Theses

Format

application/pdf

Number of Pages

75

Publisher

South Dakota State University

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