Visualizing eggs of Nesidiocoris tenuis (Heteroptera: Miridae) embedded in tomato plant tissues. Issue 3 (2nd February 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rozenberg, Tamir; Shaltiel‐Harpaz, Liora; Coll, Moshe
• Is Part Of: Entomological science. Volume 18:Issue 3(2015:Jul.)
• Page Start: 400
• Page End: 402
• Publication Date: 2015-02-02
• Subjects: Insects -- Periodicals; Entomology -- Periodicals; 595.705
• DOI: 10.1111/ens.12125
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1343-8786

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <p> <italic>Nesidiocoris tenuis</italic> (Heteroptera: Miridae) is a predator of some major pests of Solanaceae crops, yet it is scarcely used in biological control because it also feeds on plants and may damage crops. The study of <italic>N. tenuis</italic> biology may promote the ability to use it as a biological control agent. Because <italic>N. tenuis</italic>, like some other insect taxa, oviposits into plant tissues, its eggs are hard to detect. This limits our ability to study <italic>N. tenuis</italic> – plant interactions. We therefore looked for a staining method for plant‐embedded eggs, which will allow their detection within tomato plants, a common host of <italic>N. tenuis</italic>. We first used lactophenol solution with acid fuchsin to stain eggs inside tomato foliage. Because of the high toxicity of lactophenol, we later substituted lactophenol with a lactoglycerol solution, which was found to be similarly efficient. Five minutes immersion in the staining solution at 80°C followed by a two‐minute soak in hot water made the eggs stain deep red, while the foliage became transparent and was stained weak red. Eggs within leaves were easily visible under 10–30× magnification with sub‐stage lighting; top‐lighting was needed for the detection of eggs embedded in less‐transparent tissues such as stems. This rapid staining method improves the ability to study some important biological aspects of <italic>N. tenuis</italic>, such as its fecundity. Also, the elimination of phenol made the method cheaper and safer to use. Finally, this method may be adapted for other arthropod–plant systems.</p> </abstract>