Effects of Strawberry Foliage Infected with Strawberry Mottle and Strawberry Mild Yellow Edge Viruses on the Development and Fecundity of the Strawberry Leaf Beetle, Galerucella vittaticollis BALY (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Abstract

Female strawberry leaf beetles fed on foliage of strawberry infected with strawberry mottle (SMoV) and strawberry mild yellow edge viruses (SMYEV) exhibited lower fecundity than those fed on virus-free foliage. The larval and pupal development of this species was not affected by the feeding on infected foliage. Chemical analysis showed that the amount of soluble nitrogen in infected foliage was half of that in virus-free foliage. The fecundity of female beetles fed on virus-free foliage deficient in soluble nitrogen was significantly decreased. These results indicate that the lower fecundity of the female leaf beetles was caused primarily by the low level of soluble nitrogen in the foliage infected with SMoV and SMYEV.