POPULATION DYNAMICS OF THE CABBAGE APHID, BREVICORYNE BRASSICAE (HOMOPTERA: APHIDIDAE) AT VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA: III. DEVELOPMENT, FECUNDITY, AND MORPH DETERMINATION VS. APHID DENSITY AND PLANT QUALITY
AbstractDevelopmental time, fecundity, adult weight, numbers, and age distribution of Brevicoryne brassicae (L.) and leaf area and plant quality of Maris Kestrel kale, Brassica oleracea L., were determined at three aphid densities and two watering rates in a factorial field-cage experiment. The watering treatment had no effect on the aphid or plant response variates. The aphid density treatment significantly affected final aphid numbers (low < medium = high density), leaf area (high < low = medium density), average adult weight measured at the end of the experiment (high < low < medium density), and weight of the adults in the developmental time measurement (high < low = medium density). The results suggested a strong aphid–plant interaction, but at densities which rarely occur in the field. Leaf water/dry weight was used to assess plant quality, but it was not a good predictor of any of the aphid response variates. Developmental time decreased, and fecundity increased as adult aphid weight increased. Production of fourth-instar apterae decreased logarithmically as aphid density increased.