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Cause of egg mortality in azuki bean weevils ( Callosobruchus chinensis ): physical or chemical?
Author(s) -
Fujii Koichi
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
population ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.819
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1438-390X
pISSN - 1438-3896
DOI - 10.1007/s10144-008-0098-0
Subject(s) - trampling , callosobruchus chinensis , weevil , biology , botany , zoology , toxicology , horticulture , ecology , grazing
The cause of high egg mortality at high adult density in azuki bean weevil is still controversial. It may be physical, as a result of adult trampling, or chemical, as a result of substance(s) secreted by adults and coated on the bean surface. In this study, I first constructed simple mathematical models based on each mechanism, which could predict the change of egg hatchability oviposited on different dates at different adult densities. I then devised an experimental method that could identify the fate of eggs oviposited on different dates. The experimental results showed that egg mortality was most likely caused by adult trampling.