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Impact of poplar water status on leaf-beetle (Chrysomela populi) survival and feeding

Étude de l’influence d’un stress hydrique appliqué à des boutures de peuplier sur la survie et l’alimentation de chrysomèles phyllophages

Annals of Forest Science volume 67, page 209 (2010)Cite this article

Abstract

  • • The aim of this study is to assess the impact of drought on insect-tree relationships. Survival and feeding performances of leaf-beetles, Chrysomela populi put in cages with leaves of host-plants submitted to different levels of water stress were compared.

  • • Ninety 1-year-old poplar (Populus × euramericana) cuttings were grown in a greenhouse, and distributed into 3 groups submitted to different water treatments during six weeks. Adult C. populi were then encaged for four days with these cuttings, together with the five terminal leaves of a twig. Beetle survival and consumed leaf areas were then determined.

  • • Predawn leaf water potential values indicated that the drought treatments induced different levels of plant water stress. Plant height growth and total leaf numbers were reduced by plant stress. Beetle survival and leaf areas eaten were also reduced proportionally to plant water deficit.

  • • In conclusion, this experiment suggests that drought has a negative impact on C. populi survival and feeding.

Résumé

  • • L’objectif de ce travail est d’évaluer les effets d’une sécheresse sur les relations plantes-insectes. La survie et l’alimentation de chrysomèles phyllophages, Chrysomela populi, exposées à un hôte subissant divers niveaux de stress hydrique sont comparées.

  • • Quatre-vingt dix boutures de peuplier (Populus × euramericana) âgées d’un an ont été cultivées en serres, et réparties en trois groupes soumis à des traitements hydriques différents. Après un stress hydrique continu de six semaines, les boutures ont été exposées à des chrysomèles encagées avec les cinq dernières feuilles de rameaux, pour quatre jours. La survie et les surfaces foliaires consommées par les chrysomèles ont ensuite été déterminées.

  • • Les valeurs de potentiel hydrique foliaire de base indiquent que les traitements hydriques ont induit chez les plantes différents niveaux de stress hydriques. La croissance en hauteur des plantes ainsi que le nombre de feuilles ont été réduits par le stress hydrique. La survie des insectes et les surfaces foliaires consommées par ceux-ci ont également été réduites proportionnellement au déficit hydrique.

  • • En conclusion, cette expérience suggère que la sécheresse a un impact négatif sur la survie et l’alimentation de C. populi.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Lutte biologique et Ecologie spatiale, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Av. F. D. Roosevelt 50, CP 160/12, 1050, Bruxelles, Belgium

    Sylvie La Spina, Jean-Claude Gregoire & Charles De-Canniere

  2. Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique (F.R.S.-FNRS), Belgium

    Sylvie La Spina

  3. DG03 - Département de l’Étude du Milieu Naturel et Agricole, Ministère de la Région Wallonne, Avenue Maréchal Juin 23, 5030, Gembloux, Belgium

    Patrick Mertens

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  1. Sylvie La Spina
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  2. Jean-Claude Gregoire
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  4. Charles De-Canniere
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Correspondence to Sylvie La Spina.

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La Spina, S., Gregoire, JC., Mertens, P. et al. Impact of poplar water status on leaf-beetle (Chrysomela populi) survival and feeding. Ann. For. Sci. 67, 209 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1051/forest/2009102

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/forest/2009102

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Annals of Forest Science

ISSN: 1297-966X