The effects of nitrogen and sulfur fertilization on the oviposition, feeding preferences, and larval performance of Ceutorhynchus obstrictus (Marsham) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) on Brassica napus L. were examined in a series of laboratory experiments. The associations between C. obstrictus adults, larvae and parasitoids, and environmental factors including plant vigor indicators and soil and plant nutrients were evaluated within two commercial fields of B. napus in southern Alberta. Nitrogen fertilization, and sulfur fertilization at low levels of nitrogen fertilization had positive effects on oviposition preference. Nitrogen had a positive effect on larval development times and no effect on larval weights. Within one field, gravid C. obstrictus females were dissociated with high levels of plant nutrients including nitrogen. The synthesis of the lab and field experiments seems to support the plant stress and the preference-performance hypotheses. Differences in olfactory and visual cues are identified as a possible mechanism for the observed differences. / Ecology
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:AEU.10048/1549 |
| Date | 11 1900 |
| Creators | Blake, Adam J. |
| Contributors | Keddie, B. Andrew (Biological Sciences), Dosdall, Lloyd M. (Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science), Cahill, James F. (Biological Sciences), Crcamo, Hctor A. (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada) |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 2792141 bytes, application/pdf |
| Relation | Blake AJ, Dosdall LM, Keddie BA (2010) Bottom-up effects of Brassica napus nutrition on the oviposition preference and larval performance of Ceutorhynchus obstrictus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Arthropod-Plant Interactions (in press) |
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