Table 1. Feeding behavior of the mealybug P. solenopsis as indicated by EPG recordings.
| Plant Treatments | Feeding parameters | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total duration of SEP feeding (min) | P value | Rate of SEP feeding | P value | No. of probes | P value | Rate of potential drop | P value | |
| Control | 88.5 ± 26.2 | – | 2.9 ± 0.6 | – | 3.3 ± 0.39 | – | 63.2 ± 8.9 | – |
| Mealybug | 96.5 ± 29.1 | 0.26 | 2.4 ± 0.6 | 0.59 | 5.2 ± 1.4 | 0.24 | 60.7 ± 12.8 | 0.61 |
| JA | 14.5 ± 5.9 | 0.004* | 1.4 ± 0.5 | 0.08 | 3.8 ± 0.7 | 0.56 | 41.4 ± 8.5 | 0.09 |
| SA | 111.9 ± 122.6 | 0.53 | 4.4 ± 0.6 | 0.04* | 4.6 ± 0.8 | 0.24 | 84.9 ± 6.3 | 0.03* |
EPGs were recorded for 12 h per insect. Control: undamaged plant (n = 15); Mealybug: plant pre-infested with 40 adults of P. solenopsis for 120 h (n = 10); JA: plant pre-treated with 1.0 mL/leaf of JA solution for 24 h (n = 10); SA: plant pre-treated with 1.0 mL/leaf of SA solution for 24 h (n = 16). Values are means ± SE. Potential drop: caused by stylets puncturing cells; SEP: sieve element phase, observed during feeding in a sieve element. Rate of SEP feeding: the number of probes in sieve element phase during 12-h recording period.
*indicates significant difference (at α = 0.05) from control treatment as determined by one-way ANOVA.