Belowground Herbivory to Sweetpotato by Sweetpotato Weevil (Coleoptera: Brentidae) Alters Population Dynamics and Probing Behavior of Aboveground Herbivores

Aboveground and belowground herbivory can alter host quality and trophic interactions. However, little research has explored the impacts of belowground herbivory on plant virus epidemiology. To understand this interaction in sweetpotato, Ipomoea batatas L. (Lam), we studied the impact of herbivory by sweetpotato weevil, Cylas formicarius elegantulus (Summers), to storage roots on vector herbivore, Myzus persicae (Sulzer), the green peach aphid, and Aphis gossypii Glover, the cotton aphid, feeding behavior (M. persicae and A. gossypii) and population dynamics (M. persicae only as A. gossypii does not colonize sweetpotato). In addition, a nonvector herbivore, Chrysodeixis includens (Walker), the soybean looper, weight gain was included for comparison. Infestations of sweetpotato weevil in storage roots reduced C. includens weight gain and M. persicae intrinsic rate of increase (r(m)), net reproductive rate (R-o), and finite rate of increase (lambda) on aboveground portions of the plant. In probing behaviors related to nonpersistent virus spread (30 min trials), M. persicae probed less often, took longer to reach the first pd (potential drop), had shorter II-3 (intracellular subphase sap ingestion) durations, and had fewer archlets on plants infested with C. formicarius elegantulus. Total phloem duration did not differ between treatments, indicating that the lowered performance of M. persicae on infested plants was not due to discrepancies in probing duration. Results were less clear for A. gossypii. Thus, in sweetpotato, belowground herbivory can alter plant virus vector abundance and behavior. Understanding the mechanisms underlying these changes in behavior could improve plant virus vector integrated pest management.

Automated summary

Belowground herbivory can alter the abundance and behavior of plant virus vectors in sweetpotato. Understanding the mechanisms underlying these behavioral changes can improve integrated pest management of plant virus vectors.