CROP and PRAIRIE GRASSES SERVING AS HOSTS for the HESSIAN FLY MAYETIOLA DESTRUCTOR (SAY) (DIPTERA: CECIDOMYIIDAE) a Thesis Submi
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
CROP AND PRAIRIE GRASSES SERVING AS HOSTS FOR THE HESSIAN FLY MAYETIOLA DESTRUCTOR (SAY) (DIPTERA: CECIDOMYIIDAE) A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the North Dakota State University of Agriculture and Applied Science By Yue Li In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE Major Department: Entomology November 2012 Fargo, North Dakota North Dakota State University Graduate School Title CROP AND PRAIRIE GRASSES SERVING AS HOSTS FOR THE HESSIAN FLY MAYETIOLA DESTRUCTOR (SAY) (DIPTERA: CECIDOMYIIDAE) By Yue Li The Supervisory Committee certifies that this disquisition complies with North Dakota State University’s regulations and meets the accepted standards for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE SUPERVISORY COMMITTEE: Marion Harris Chair Jason Harmon Steven Xu Steven Travers Approved: November 8, 2012 Frank Casey Date Department Chair ABSTRACT Insect herbivores typically parasitize a relatively small number of plant species. Host specialization is presumed to be a result of evolutionary arms races, with insect adaptations ultimately restricting host range. Being a gall-maker, the Hessian fly has highly evolved interactions with plant hosts. As a consequence, its host range is expected to be narrow. Two crop species, wheat and barley are hosts of the Hessian fly. I studied whether non-crop grasses can also serve as hosts. Included in tests were seven grass species that are important components of the grasslands of the Northern Great Plains. Although less suitable than wheat and barley, all seven species received eggs and five of the seven species supported development of offspring to the adult reproductive stage. Results indicate a broader host range than was expected. A benefit of being able to use non-crop grasses is availability of alternate hosts when superior crop hosts are not available. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am extremely grateful to my major advisor Dr. Marion O. Harris for her tireless supervision, support, and assistance in this project. She always encouraged and challenged me throughout the three years. I am also extremely thankful to her patience on me, and her caring for both my academics and life. Thanks to my committee members Drs. Jason Harmon, Steven Xu, and Steve Travers, who have given me constructive comments throughout my Master’s study. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Kirk Anderson who helped me rear and prepare insects, and take care of my plants. Moreover, Kirk also helped me figure out many problems I encountered in the experiments. I also would like to thank all the faculty, staff and students in the Entomology Department. iv TABLE OF CONTENT ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .............................................................................................................. iv LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................ vii LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................................... viii CHAPTER 1. LITERATURE REVIEW .........................................................................................1 Introduction ..........................................................................................................................1 Offensive Traits of Phytophagous Insects ...........................................................................4 Host Finding and Selection by Phytophagous Insects .........................................................5 Does Mother Know Best? Preference and Performance ......................................................6 Gene-for-gene Plant Resistance ...........................................................................................8 Non-Host Resistance ..........................................................................................................11 Geographic Distribution of the Hessian Fly ......................................................................12 Systematics of Gall Midges and the Hessian Fly...............................................................12 Morphology of the Hessian Fly .........................................................................................12 Life Cycle of the Hessian Fly ............................................................................................13 Host Finding and Selection Behavior of the Hessian Fly ..................................................14 The Hessian fly as a Gall-maker ........................................................................................15 Hessian fly Impacts on Plant Growth ................................................................................17 The Hessian fly and Gene-for-gene Interactions ...............................................................17 Why Study Host Range of the Hessian Fly? ......................................................................19 The Crop Hosts of the Hessian Fly ....................................................................................20 Grassland Ecosystems ........................................................................................................22 v Prairie Grass Species Used in My Research .....................................................................23 Canada Wildrye .....................................................................................................23 Crested Wheatgrass ................................................................................................24 Intermediate Wheatgrass ........................................................................................24 Tall Wheatgrass .....................................................................................................25 Western Wheatgrass...............................................................................................25 Meadow Brome ......................................................................................................26 Smooth Brome .......................................................................................................26 References ..........................................................................................................................27 CHAPTER 2. CROP AND PRAIRIE GRASSES AS HOSTS FOR THE HESSIAN FLY .........37 Introduction ........................................................................................................................37 Materials and Methods ......................................................................................................43 Insects ....................................................................................................................43 Plants ......................................................................................................................45 Oviposition Preference Tests .................................................................................46 Offspring Performance Tests .................................................................................48 General Statistical Methods ...................................................................................53 Results ................................................................................................................................53 Oviposition Preference...........................................................................................53 Offspring Performance...........................................................................................56 Plant Response to Attack .......................................................................................70 Discussion ..........................................................................................................................76 References .........................................................................................................................84 vi LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Common grasses in the Northern Great Plains ..................................................................23 2. Grasses found to be host plants of the Hessian fly (based on Zeiss et al. 1993) ...............39 3. Grasses on which experiments have failed to detect Hessian fly reproduction (based on Zeiss et al. 1993) ................................................................................................................41 4. Ten crop and non-crop grass species used in tests to explore insect-plant relationships with the Hessian fly ...........................................................................................................44 5. Days of growth required for each of the ten grasses to attain the two-leaf seedling stage and the size of two-leaf seedlings at the time of testing ....................................................47 6. Choice of egglaying sites by Hessian fly females ovipositing on the ten grasses .............55 7. For tests of performance, differences in Hessian fly density on grasses ..........................57 8. Numbers of female and male Hessian fly adults that developed on the seven grasses .....62 9. Estimates of reproductive fitness of female and male Hessian flies that developed on the seven grasses ......................................................................................................................67 10. Statistical tests for Figure 17 comparing growth responses