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Movement, feeding behaviour and growth of larvae of the sorghum shootfly, Atherigona soccata

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2011

Ashok K. Raina
Ashok K. Raina
Affiliation:
International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), P.O. Box 30772, Nairobi, Kenya
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Abstract

Movement, feeding behaviour and growth of larvae of the sorghum shootfly, Atheriyona saccata, were studied under controlled conditions on a susceptible sorghum variety, CSH-1. The time of hatching coincided with the presence of moisture on the leaf, a condition favourable to movement of the larvae to the base of the leaf. Cutting of the central shoot at its base by the larva caused the symptom referred to as ‘dead heart’. The three larval instars are described and changes in the cephalopharyngeal skeleton discussed.

Movement of the larva to the base is not due to positive geotaxis. Larvae in plants placed horizontally to the ground did not develop normally and a high mortality resulted. The larvae are strongly cannibalistic inside the host-plant but not outside of it. The first-instar larvae do not migrate from one plant to another, but the third instars may do so if the source of food is exhausted.

Keywords

BehaviourlarvagrowthsorghumshootflyAtherigona soccata
Type
Research Article
Information
International Journal of Tropical Insect Science , Volume 2 , Special Issue 1-2: The Biology, Ecology and Control of the Sorghum Shootfly, Atherigona soccata Rondani , June 1981 , pp. 77 - 81
Copyright
Copyright © ICIPE 1981

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References

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