title: Probing behavior of Empoasca vitis (Homoptera: Cicadellidae) on resistant and susceptible cultivars of tea plants.
abstract: Feeding activities of the tea green leafhopper, Empoasca vitis (Gothe) (Homoptera: Cicadellidae), on resistant and susceptible cultivars of tea plants (Camellia sinensis L.) were recorded and analyzed using the direct current electrical penetration graph (EPG) system. Six distinct EPG waveforms characterizing the feeding behavior of the tea green leafhopper, categorized as waveforms A, C, E, S, F, and R, were obtained during the investigation. Duration of passive ingestion, possibly of phloem (E), was the longest among all the probing waveforms on susceptible cultivars, whereas durations of the salivation (S) waveform and stylet work waveform (F) became longer on resistant cultivars. The durations of waveforms S and F on the resistant cultivar Jiandecha were slightly longer than those on the less resistant cultivar Yunguidaye, and both were significantly longer than those on the susceptible cultivars Hangzhoudaye and Zhushan-1. Waveform E was shorter on the resistant cultivar Jiandecha than on the less resistant cultivars Yunguidaye and was significantly shorter than on the susceptible cultivars (Hangzhoudaye and Zhushan-1). It is suggested that E, S, and F are the important waveforms related to leafhopper feeding behavior and tea plant resistance. Based on the results, the resistance levels of tea cultivars against the tea leafhopper can be evaluated quickly by direct current EPG.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Plant Protection, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou 450002, The People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Miao
authors.affiliation: Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences of China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, The People's Republic of China han-insect@263.net.
authors.forename: Bao-Yu
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Sterling International, Inc., 3808 N. Sullivan Rd., Bldg. 16, Spokane, WA 99216, USA.
authors.forename: Qing-He
authors.initials: QH
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D028241:Camellia sinensis / Q000235:genetics / Q000469:parasitology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D006430:Hemiptera / Q000502:physiology*; D060434:Herbivory; D052585:Phloem
keywords: DC-EPG; feeding behavior; tea green leafhopper; tea plant; waveform