Plant senescence cues entry into diapause in the gall fly Eurosta solidaginis: resulting metabolic depression is critical for water conservation.

Mechanisms and possible cues for seasonal increases in desiccation resistance in larvae of the goldenrod gall fly Eurosta solidaginis, were examined before and after natural and premature plant senescence, or after being removed from their gall and placed in either 100, 95 or 75% relative humidity (RH). Rates of water loss were 8.6-fold lower, averaging 0.7+/-0.2 microg mm(-2) h(-1), in larvae from senescent gall tissue and after all RH treatments than in control larvae from pre-senescent plants. Enhanced desiccation resistance occurred quickly, within 3 days of removal from their gall. Contrary to most previous reports, a large majority of the increased desiccation resistance (approximately 85%) was due to reduced respiratory transpiration with the remainder being the result of a lowered cuticular permeability. Rates of cuticular water loss were reduced by the presence of a vapor pressure gradient between the larval hemolymph and environmental water vapor and were probably due to increases in cuticular lipids and/or production of the cryoprotectant glycerol. Metabolic rate was reduced by over fourfold, averaging 0.07+/-0.01 microl CO2 g(-1) h(-1), in larvae from senescent gall tissue and all RH treatments compared to larvae from pre-senescent plants. The magnitude of the reduction in metabolic rates indicated that these larvae had entered diapause. In addition, larvae entered diapause in response to removal from, or degeneration of, the gall tissue they feed, on rather than seasonal changes in temperature or photoperiod. The low metabolic rates of the diapausing larvae probably allowed them to dramatically reduce their respiratory transpiration and total rate of water loss compared with non-diapausing controls. Thus, diapause, with its associated lowered metabolic rate, may be essential for conserving water in overwintering temperate insects, which may be dormant for six or more months of the year.