Exploring the nitrogen ingestion of aphids--a new method using electrical penetration graph and (15)N labelling.

ABSTRACT: Studying plant-aphid interactions is challenging as aphid feeding is a complex process hidden in the plant tissue. Here we propose a combination of two well established methods to study nutrient acquisition by aphids focusing on the uptake of isotopically labelled nitrogen ((15)N). We combined the Electrical Penetration Graph (EPG) technique that allows detailed recording of aphid feeding behaviour and stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) to precisely measure the uptake of nitrogen. Bird cherry-oat aphids Rhopalosiphum padi L. (Hemiptera, Aphididae) fed for 24 h on barley plants (Hordeum vulgare L., cultivar Lina, Poaceae) that were cultivated with a (15)N enriched nutrient solution. The time aphids fed in the phloem was strongly positive correlated with their (15)N uptake. All ot

SUBMITTER: Kuhlmann F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3871520 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature