Abstract

MENDEZ-AGUILAR, María de Jesús; CASTRO-RAMIREZ, Adriana E.; ROJAS, Julio C.  and  HUERTA-LWANGA, Esperanza. Respuesta olfativa de larvas de Phyllophaga ravida y P. tumulosa (Melolonthidae) a volátiles de raíces de cuatro plantas hospederas. Acta Zool. Mex [online]. 2008, vol.24, n.1, pp.115-128. ISSN 2448-8445.

The olfactory responses of third instar larvae of Phyllophaga ravida (Blanchard 1850) and Phyllophaga tumulosa (Bates 1888) to Zea mays L. (Gramineae), Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. (Gramineae), Phaseolus vulgaris L. (Leguminosae) and Physalis philadelphica Lam. (Solanaceae) roots were studied in the laboratory. The olfactory response was investigated using a "Y" olfactometer. P. ravida larvae did not show any preference for roots of any of the four plant species, while P. tumulosa larvae preferred green tomato roots. The preference of both species of larvae for roots of maize, bean or green tomato was investigated in a glass terrarium. Phyllophaga ravida larvae were more frequently found in maize roots than in bean or green tomato roots, and larvae of this species increased significantly their weight in the combinations between bean-maize and green tomato-maize. Phyllophaga tumulosa larvae preferred green tomato roots to those of maize or beans and increased significantly their weight in the green tomato-maize combination. The olfactory preference of P. tumulosa for green tomato roots was corroborated in the terrariums.

Keywords : olfactometer; underground insects; complex "white grubs"; agricultural pests; Gramineae; Leguminosae; Solanaceae.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )