Identification of Glutamic Acid as a Host Marking Pheromone of the African Fruit Fly Species Ceratitis rosa (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Publication Type

Journal Article

Journal Name

Journal of Applied Entomology

Publication Date

1-1-1996

Abstract

The effect of cultivar, plant part and three phenological growth stages of cowpea, Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp., genotypes on oviposition behaviour of the legume pod borer. Maruca testulalis Geyer, was studied in free-choice and no-choice tests in screen cages. The three growth stages were: pre- flowering, flowering and podding, respectively. Oviposition pattern by M. testulalis gravid females was similar between the three cultivars, and all the various plant parts were oviposited upon at the different growth stages. TVNu 72 was the least preferred for oviposition while IT82D-716 was the most. At the three growth stages and on the cultivars, abaxial leaf surface and flowers were consistently the most and least preferred oviposition substrates. Significantly more eggs were obtained in no-choice oviposition tests than in free-choice tests. Ovipositional non-preference due to the presence of trichomes was found to be one of the mechanisms of resistance of cowpea to M. testulalis. Results from the study show the need to protect cowpea crop against M. testulalis oviposition at the different growth stages in order to significantly reduce grain yield losses.

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