The Impact of Pubescent Wheat on the Population Dynamics of the Cereal Leaf Beetle 1 , 2

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Abstract
Field plots of pubescent wheat, variety Vel (CI 15890), were planted near plots of susceptible Genesee wheat (CI 12653) and plots of various mixtures of the 2 seeds to evaluate the effects on field populations of the cereal leaf beetle, Oulema melanopus (L.) and its larval parasites. Results indicate that beetles oviposit less on the pubescent wheat than on the Genesee in both pure and mixed plots. Cereal leaf beetles exhibit density dependence in within-generation survival in both Vel and Genesee wheat, and when this density dependence is taken into account, pubescent wheat makes no difference in within-generation survival. Plots of 100% Vel caused a reduction of 83.2% in the total seasonal density of cereal leaf beetle larvae compared to the plots of 100% Genesee wheat. Mixed plots with 9:1, 1:1, and 1:9 ratios of Vel to Genesee seed caused similar reductions of 74.4, 47.5 and 1.3%, respectively. No direct effects attributable to the pubescent wheat were observed on any of the 3 larval parasites Tetrastichus julis (Walker), Lemophagus curtus Townes, and Diaparsus n. sp.

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