An artificial diet for the sugarcane aphid (Melanaphis sacchari Zehntner) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) with potential uses for in vitro toxicological studies
Keywords:
survival, sucrose, insect pest, sorghum, toxicological assaysAbstract
The sugarcane aphid, Melanaphis sacchari Zehntner (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is an important insect pest of sorghum and sugarcane crops throughout the United States and Mexico. In 2013, its capacity for crop destruction of these 2 commodities amounted to millions of dollars. Currently, no artificial diets are available that can be used for in vitro screening of potential bioactive substances toxic to this aphid species. The objective of our work, reported herein, was to evaluate liquid artificial diets for use in such in vitro screening bioassays. We evaluated a diet originally developed for the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae Sulzer [Hemiptera: Aphididae]) and another for the whitefly (Bemisia argentifolii Bellow and Perring [Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae]). Melanaphis sacchari did not survive on the M. persicae diet, whereas about 46% survived on the whitefly diet that contained 30% sucrose and 5% yeast extract during the 10 d trial. Further tests then were conducted to determine if sucrose alone at concentrations of 15, 30, and 50% would be a sufficient artificial diet. We found that M. sacchari survival at 10 d post ingestion was greatest (87%) when the diet contained 30% sucrose alone. This solution represented the best diet option for use for in vitro toxicological screening bioassays for the sugarcane aphid.
Resumen
El pulgón de la caña de azúcar Melanaphis sacchari Zehntner (Hemiptera: Aphididae), es un insecto plaga importante de cultivos de sorgo y caña de azúcar de los Estados Unidos de Norteamérica y México. En el 2013, el daño ocasionado en estos dos cultivos ascendió a millones de dólares. Actualmente, no hay dietas artificiales disponibles que puedan ser usadas de manera in vitro con la finalidad de realizar la búsqueda de toxinas bioactivas potenciales contra esta especie de áfido. El objetivo de nuestro trabajo, reportado aquí, fue evaluar dietas artificiales líquidas para su uso in vitro en bioensayos de selección. Nosotros evaluamos una dieta originalmente desarrollada para el pulgón verde del melocotonero (Myzus persicae Sulzer [Hemiptera: Aphididae]) y otra para la mosquita blanca de la hoja plateada (Bemisia argentifolii Bellow y Perring [Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae]). Durante los 10 d de prueba M. sacchari no sobrevivió en la dieta de M. persicae, mientras que en la dieta de la mosquita blanca de la hoja plateada sobrevivió un 46%, la cual contiene 30% de sacarosa y 5% de extracto de levadura. Se realizaron pruebas posteriores para ver si la sacarosa sola al 15, 30 y 50% serían suficientes para una dieta artificial. Encontramos que la supervivencia de M. sacchari en el décimo 10 d pos-ingesta con la dieta que contenía 30% de sacarosa fue la mayor (87%). Esta dieta representa la mejor opción para llevar a cabo bioensayos toxicológicos de selección in vitro contra el pulgón amarillo.
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