Mahlangu Lindiwe, Sibisi Phumzile, Nofemela Robert S, Ngmenzuma Titus, Ntushelo Khayalethu
Department of Agriculture and Animal Health, University of South Africa, Private Bag X6, Florida 1710, South Africa.
Agricultural Research Council-Plant Health and Protection, Private Bag X134, Queenswood 0121, South Africa.
Insects. 2022 Aug 22;13(8):754. doi: 10.3390/insects13080754.
(Meyrick, 1917) (: ) is a destructive insect pest toward crops and belongs to the Solanaceae family. Since it was first recorded in South Africa in 2016, the pest has spread extensively and caused tremendous damage to field and tunnel-grown tomato crops. This study aimed to investigate how affects the growth and physiology of three Solanaceae plant species: tomato, potato, and eggplant. These three crops were infested with L1 instar larvae, and their growth and physiology were assessed during insect feeding. The damage to the infested tomato host plant was severe, with destroying 100% of the plants. The tomato plants were distorted 15 days after infestation, that is, before the fruit set. For potato, the defoliation was moderate, but the infested plants produced fewer tubers compared to the uninfested host plants. Eggplant had fewer visible signs of feeding, resulting in no significant difference between the infested and uninfested host plants in terms of growth and physiological functions. Infested tomato and potato plants had stagnant growth, fewer and damaged leaves, a reduced chlorophyll content, a reduced photosynthesis rate, a poor transpiration rate, poor water conductance, and poor intercellular carbon dioxide concentrations. This study closes the knowledge gap on the morphological (growth) and physiological responses of different Solanaceae species to infestation, and it also demonstrates the differential risk of infestations in the production of tomato, potato, and eggplant.
（梅里克，1917年）（：）是一种对农作物具有破坏性的害虫，属于茄科。自2016年首次在南非被记录以来，这种害虫已广泛传播，并对露地和温室种植的番茄作物造成了巨大损害。本研究旨在调查（该害虫）如何影响三种茄科植物物种（番茄、马铃薯和茄子）的生长和生理状况。这三种作物用L1龄幼虫进行侵染，并在昆虫取食期间评估它们的生长和生理状况。受侵染的番茄寄主植物受到的损害严重，（该害虫）致使100%的植株死亡。侵染后15天，即坐果前，番茄植株就出现了变形。对于马铃薯，落叶情况中等，但与未受侵染的寄主植物相比，受侵染的植株结出的块茎较少。茄子的取食可见迹象较少，在生长和生理功能方面，受侵染和未受侵染的寄主植物之间没有显著差异。受侵染的番茄和马铃薯植株生长停滞，叶片数量减少且受损，叶绿素含量降低，光合速率降低，蒸腾速率差，水分传导性差，细胞间二氧化碳浓度低。本研究填补了不同茄科物种对（该害虫）侵染的形态学（生长）和生理反应方面的知识空白，同时也证明了（该害虫）侵染对番茄、马铃薯和茄子生产造成的不同风险。
