Effect of Pollutant Dose on the Response of Mexican Bean Beetle (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) to So2-induced Changes in Soybean

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Abstract
Larvae of the Mexicanbean beetle, Epilachna varivestis Mulsant, grew larger when fed on soybean foliage fumigated for 24 h with SO, at concentrations of 131 to 1,834 μg m−3 than when fed on nonfumigated leaves. Relative weight gain was not linear against SO2 concentration in the range sampled; it was greatest when leaves were fumigated with ca. 786 μg m−3 and less pronounced at either higher or lower concentrations. Smaller relative weight gains, also having a maximum at a concentration of approximately 786 μg m−3, were found when larvae were reared on foliage allowed 24 h in which to recover from fumigation. No effect on growth was observed when plants were fumigated with 65 μg m−3, indicating a threshold for effect between 65 and 131 μg m−3 under the conditions of these tests. Change in the plant induced by fumigation, as indicated by growth response of the insects, was rapid, occurring in less than 6 h when plants were fumigated at a concentration of 1,310 μg m−3; recovery of the plant from an exposure was slow relative to response time.

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