The effect of photoperiod and light quality on Macrolophus pygmaeus Rambur (Hemiptera: Miridae) nymphal development, fecundity and longevity

Publication date: Available online 7 February 2017 Source:Biological Control Author(s): I. Nissinen Anne, M. Pinto-Zevallos Delia, Jauhiainen Lauri, Vänninen Irene Development time of immatures, fecundity, longevity and egg hatching of the predatory bug Macrolophus pygmaeus were studied over three years under artificial lighting in growth chambers to assess if light quality and photoperiod could explain its poor establishment in winter time tomato crops at northern latitudes. In the first year, the effect of photoperiod was assessed using fluorescent lamps (FLs) at 16L:8D, 13L:11D, 11L:13D and 8L:16D. In the second year, the effect of light quality was assessed by producing the 16L:8D photoperiod with FLs, high pressure sodium lamps (HPSLs) and HPSLs complemented with red (R) light emitting diodes (LEDs) (11 + 5h, HPSLs + R). In the third year, 16L:8D, 11L:13D, 8L:16D photoperiods were produced by HPSLs and 16L:8D with FLs. In all the treatments, females from the first, second or third generation oviposited and their eggs hatched pointing that M. pygmaeus do not undergo reproductive diapause. In general, shorter photoperiods prolonged the development time of immatures regardless the light source, whereas fecundity increased with decreasing photoperiod irrespectively of light quality. In FLs, fecundity was significantly lower than in HPSLs alone or in HPSLs + R in one experiment, whereas light quality (FLs and HPSLs) did not affect fecundity in the other experiment. The...
Source: Biological Control - Category: Biology Source Type: research