Studies on the biology of the sugar-cane pest Saccharosydne saccharivora (Westw.) (Hom., Delphacidae)

Abstract

An account is given of laboratory studies and field observations in Jamaica and British Honduras on the host-plants, life-history and habits of Saccharosydne saccharivora (Westw.), a major pest of sugar-cane. The original host-plants of S. saccharivora are shown to be two species of grasses, Andropogon glomeratus and A. bicornis. The immature stages of S. saccharivora are described and illustrated; the five nymphal instars may most easily be distinguished by their increasing size, the differentiation of the wing buds and the increasing spinosity of the metathoracic tibia and tarsus. Daily records of individuals of S. saccharivora show the duration of the different stages on fertilised plant cane at c. 80°F to be as follows: egg, 15–19 days; instar 1, 6–7 days; instars 2, 3 and 4, each 4–5 days; instar 5, 6–7 days; adult male, about one week; adult female, up to four weeks. The complete life-cycle took 6½–7 weeks, but was slower on unfertilised ratoon cane. In describing the habits of S. saccharivora, particular attention is given to feeding (feeding probes reach the bundle sheath cells and phloem of the lamina), oviposition (young leaves are the preferred oviposition site) and migration (immigration of adults on to young cane occurred at all times of year).

Insect Fluid-Feeding on Upper Pennsylvanian Tree Ferns (Palaeodictyoptera, Marattiales) and the Early History of the Piercing-and-Sucking Functional Feeding Group

“…Once within the tissue, stylets often exhibit considerable flexibility, and assume tortuous intercellular or intracellular trajectories toward the targeted tissue, sometimes terminating in a feeding cavity. These and other features of fluid feeding have been documented for some hemipterans with high economic effect, principally the sternorrhynchan aphids (Biisgen 1891, Horsfall 1923, Davidson 1923, Heriot 1934, Täte 1937, Nault and Gyrisco 1966, Sorin 1966, Evert et al 1968, whiteflies (Pollard 1955, Walker 1985, and scales (Parr 1937, Schetters I960); the auchenorrhynchan cicadas (Marlatt 1907, White andStrehl 1978), leafhoppers (Putman 1941, Houston et al 1947, Carle and Montons 1965, Pollard 1968, and planthoppers (Metcalfe 1968, Pollard 1969, Sonku and Sakuvai 1973, Cook and Denno 1994; and, to a lesser extent, phytophagous heteropterans such as tingids (Johnson 1937, Pollard 1959, mirids (Smith 1926, King and Cook 1932, Flemnion et al 1954, Dale and Coaker 1958, Hori 1971, lygaeids (Painter 1928, Snelling et al 1937, Miles 1959a, pyrrhocorids (Saxena 1963), pentatomids (Miles 1964, Hori 1968, and coreids (Krugman andKoerber 1969, Maschwitz et al 1987).…”

Feeding behavior of the vectorDelphacodes kuscheli(Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Delphacidae) on maize and oat

“…Studies about feeding sites by means of salivary sheaths termination within plant tissues were recorded on important pests such as Saccharosydne saccharivora (Westwood) (Metcalfe 1969), Nilaparvata lugens Stål (Sogawa 1973(Sogawa , 1982Kimms 1989), Laodelphax striatellus Fallen (Sonku & Sakurai 1973) and Peregrinus maidis (Ashmead) (Fisk et al 1981). In addition the analysis of honeydew excretion was used as a complementary study of the feeding activity of planthoppers (Paguia et al 1980;Heinrichs et al 1985;Padgam & Woodhead 1988;Karim & Saxena 1991;Kumar et al 2001).…”

An Annotated List of Auchenorrhyncha and Heteroptera Collected in the Coastal Salt Marshes of the Mississippi Delta in Louisiana

“…Hosts: the species is a major pest of sugarcane, but its original host plants are considered to be Andropogon bicornis L. and A. glomeratus (Walter) Britton [51]; also the species is recorded on Sorghum sudanense (Piper) Stapf. (=Sorghum × drummondii (Nees ex Steud.)…”