ABSTRACT
Seasonal susceptibility of 'Bartlett' pear, Pyrus communis L., to codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.), infestation, successful completion of larval development after infestation, and the induction of C. pomonella diapause was studied from 1992 through 1995. The seasonal variation in C. pomonella infestation and larval survival were effected by changes in fruit maturity. In late May through mid-June, pears were hard and were not as successfully infested by C. pomonella and produced less larvae compared with fruit later in the season. In late June to mid-July, pears became more suitable for infestation and a greater percentage of the larvae completed their development. In late July through mid-August, pears were susceptible to infestation, but the larvae were less likely to successfully complete development than in the late June to mid-July period due to pear tissue breakdown. From mid-August through September, pears are unsuitable for infestation, and few larvae were produced. When fruit were infested with neonate larvae in late May and mature larvae emerged from the fruit in July, a low percentage of the larvae entered diapause. However, when fruit were infested with neonate larvae in early July and mature larvae emerged from the fruit in early August, the majority of the larvae entered diapause. When fruit were infested with neonate larvae in late July through September and mature larvae emerged from the fruit after mid-August, nearly all C. pomonella larvae had entered diapause.
Subject(s)
Fruit , Moths/growth & development , Pyrus , Seasons , Animals , Color , Fruit/growth & development , Larva/growth & developmentABSTRACT
Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni, Asteraceae) is the source of stevioside, a sweet, low-calorie sugar substitute. Acreage of stevia in California has been increasing in recent years. In October 1999, stevia plants in a commercial field exhibited stunting, leaf necrosis, and vascular discoloration. Verticillium dahliae was consistently isolated from diseased root and stem pieces plated on water agar and acidified potato dextrose agar (APDA). Colonies became dark with age on APDA, formed single celled conidia on hyaline verticillate condiophores, and produced dark microsclerotia. Stevia (cv. R-set 1) plants were grown from seed in soilless potting mix in 20-cm-diameter pots. Roots of eight 4-week-old stevia plants were submerged in a 106 conidia per ml suspension of one of the isolates for 2 min. Eight control plants were dipped in sterile water. The plants were then repotted in soilless potting mix in 10-cm-diameter pots. Four weeks later, inoculated plants exhibited stunting, necrotic lower leaves, and discolored vascular systems. Control plants remained healthy. V. dahliae was reisolated on water agar from diseased plants. The experiment was conducted twice and the results were identical. This is the first report of V. dahliae on stevia in North America.
