Arthropod-Plant Interactions最新文献

{"title":"Does the gall-forming cecidomyiid enhance host plant leaves and their phytochemicals? A case study of Bruggmanniella litseae (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae)","authors":"Charles Ko-Hsuan Wang,&nbsp;Sheng-Feng Lin,&nbsp;Hieng-Ming Ting,&nbsp;Man-Miao Yang,&nbsp;Meng-Yuan Huang","doi":"10.1007/s11829-025-10184-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11829-025-10184-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Gall-inducing insects manipulate host plant physiology and morphology, offering a unique system to explore insect–plant interactions. In this study, we investigated the effects of <i>Bruggmanniella litseae</i> (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) galls on the performance of its host plant, <i>Litsea acuminata</i>, by examining variation in leaf size and five phytochemical traits across different gall abundances. Our results show that galled leaves are significantly larger than ungalled ones, with leaf size increasing with gall abundance—up to a threshold of approximately 4000 mm²—suggesting possible host manipulation to meet the nutritional requirement of the gall inducer. Among the phytochemicals examined, polyphenol content increased with gall abundance. This may support larger leaf size via polyphenol-enhanced auxin (IAA) synthesis, promoting cell differentiation and growth. Contrary to expectations, no significant different was found between gall abundance and folivory, despite elevated polyphenol levels, which are typically associated with herbivore defense. Overall, higher gall densities of <i>B. litseae</i> are associated with increased leaf size and polyphenol levels, which may represent a strategy to optimize host photosynthesis and maintain nutritional homeostasis for gall development.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8409,"journal":{"name":"Arthropod-Plant Interactions","volume":"19 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145073841","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Oviposition patterns of an eruptive butterfly, Aporia crataegi L. (Lepidoptera: Pieridae), in an outbreak population","authors":"K. S. Doshchanova,&nbsp;I. A. Solonkin,&nbsp;E. Yu. Zakharova","doi":"10.1007/s11829-025-10188-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11829-025-10188-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Patterns of egg distribution in eruptive phytophagous insects represent an important, yet understudied, component of their population dynamics. This study investigates oviposition strategies in an eruptive lepidopteran species, the black-veined white (<i>Aporia crataegi</i>), during the peak phase of an outbreak cycle. We analysed the number and size of egg clutches in relation to the characteristics of host plants. Additionally, we examined the colonisation dynamics of these host plants during the outbreak. Our findings demonstrate that <i>A. crataegi</i> exhibits selective oviposition. Females most frequently lay eggs on <i>P. padus</i>, with <i>M. baccata</i> and <i>S. aucuparia</i> being selected less frequently. Less preferred host plants are colonised with a greater selectivity; thus, most trees remain uncolonised, while individual trees exhibit a high density of egg clutches. Females preferentially oviposit on taller plants and do not avoid those defoliated within the current growing season, although depositing smaller clutches on such hosts. During the outbreak, colonisation rates increase on less preferred host plant species—<i>M. baccata</i> and <i>S. aucuparia</i>. We found no evidence of conspecific clutch avoidance, since clutch distribution across all host plants was aggregated. The highest degree of aggregation was observed on the least preferred host plant—<i>S. aucuparia</i>. The implications of clutch aggregation for offspring fitness and population dynamics are discussed.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8409,"journal":{"name":"Arthropod-Plant Interactions","volume":"19 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145073840","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Metabolic alterations in moderately resistant West Coast Tall and susceptible Chowghat Orange Dwarf coconut varieties in response to exotic whitefly infestation","authors":"P. Logeshkumar,&nbsp;R. Nalini,&nbsp;M.L. Mini,&nbsp;S. Vellaikumar,&nbsp;A. Josephrajkumar,&nbsp;M. Murugan,&nbsp;M. Paramasivam","doi":"10.1007/s11829-025-10174-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11829-025-10174-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In a metabolomics analysis using GC–MS, we explored the metabolic responses of moderately resistant West Coast Tall (WCT) and susceptible Chowghat Orange Dwarf (COD) coconut varieties to infestation by the exotic whiteflies <i>Aleurodicus rugioperculatus</i> and <i>Paraleyrodes bondari</i>. WCT exhibited a low to medium Infestation Grade Index (IGI) for both whitefly species, while COD displayed a medium to high IGI. Additionally, the study examined the preferential feeding behavior of the whiteflies, highlighting their tendency to predominantly infest the bottom leaves rather than the top leaves. GC–MS analysis of healthy top leaves and whitefly-infested bottom leaves from the WCT and COD coconut varieties identified 56 metabolites, categorized into carbohydrates, fatty acids, organic acids, amino acids, and secondary metabolites. The WCT coconut variety exhibited moderate resistance to exotic whitefly infestation through the accumulation of boric acid. Furthermore, the activation of the biosynthetic pathway for unsaturated fatty acids, leading to increased levels of docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid, played a significant role in its defense response. In WCT, the uninfested top leaves showed higher levels of shikimic acid, stearic acid, threonic acid, lactic acid, and palmitic acid, suggesting these compounds contribute to its defensive strategy. The abundance of sugars in the bottom leaves of COD likely facilitated the feeding and development of the whiteflies, making it a more favorable host for the pest. This study highlights distinct metabolic responses to whitefly resistance and lays the foundation for future research aimed at developing pest-resistant coconut cultivars.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8409,"journal":{"name":"Arthropod-Plant Interactions","volume":"19 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145037035","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Post-fire recovery in Malpighiaceae species with differing levels of ant-plant associations: the potential role of extrafloral nectaries in the Cerrado","authors":"Rodrigo do Rosario Nogueira,&nbsp;Larissa Nahas,&nbsp;Kleber Del-Claro","doi":"10.1007/s11829-025-10183-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11829-025-10183-9","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Fire is a key ecological driver in the Brazilian Cerrado, shaping plant traits and influencing biotic interactions such as mutualisms. We assessed how the presence of extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) and associated ant mutualists affects post-fire recovery in three Malpighiaceae species with contrasting ant-plant associations: <i>Peixotoa tomentosa</i> and <i>Banisteriopsis malifolia</i>, which possess EFNs and have strong ant associations, and <i>Byrsonima intermedia</i>, which lacks EFNs and generally exhibits weaker associations with ants. Because ant activity was not measured directly, EFN presence was used as a proxy for mutualistic interactions. We hypothesized that fire would enhance vegetative growth and reproductive output in all species but that the effect would be stronger in species with EFNs. Our results showed that <i>P. tomentosa</i> experienced significant increases in total leaf production, plant height, leaf diameter, and reproductive output (floral buds, flowers, and fruits) in burned areas, along with a reduction in fungal leaf spots. <i>B. malifolia</i> also exhibited higher numbers of floral buds, flowers, and fruits in burned areas, indicating a positive reproductive response to fire. In contrast, <i>B. intermedia</i> showed no significant differences in leaf production or height between burned and unburned areas, and reproductive data were unavailable in this species due to delayed flowering after the fire. These contrasting responses suggest that EFN-bearing species may be better equipped to cope with post-fire conditions. While we did not directly measure ant activity, the observed patterns are consistent with the hypothesis that EFN-mediated mutualisms may contribute to plant resilience. Our findings contribute to the understanding of how species traits associated with ant-plant interactions might influence post-disturbance dynamics in tropical savannas.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8409,"journal":{"name":"Arthropod-Plant Interactions","volume":"19 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144998437","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring fern-arthropod interactions in the Argentinian Paranaense rainforest: a first inventory, perspectives and future research","authors":"Bárbara Cariglino,&nbsp;Agustina Yañez,&nbsp;María Cecilia Melo","doi":"10.1007/s11829-025-10181-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11829-025-10181-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Despite the long co-evolutionary history of ferns with insects (and other arthropods), the study of interactions between these two groups has been historically underrepresented compared to the study of interactions in angiosperms. Furthermore, recent reviews analyzing various types of fern-insect interactions worldwide have highlighted a significant lack of studies from regions in the Southern Hemisphere when compared to the abundant research conducted in the Northern Hemisphere. This disparity leads to structural biases in the available information, precluding a better understanding of the co-evolution and role of insects and ferns in the ecosystems, and their importance for biodiversity conservation in the Global South. In an effort to reduce this knowledge bias, we undertook a survey in the Paranaense rainforest (Misiones Province, Argentina), documenting for the first time fern-arthropod interactions within the country and laying the groundwork for future investigations. We assessed potential fern-arthropod interactions by thoroughly examining fern specimens along predetermined transects, recording all recognized activities related to shelter (galling, mining, cocoons), reproduction (oviposition), and invertebrate feeding. Fern-hosts and those arthropods observed in-situ were collected and taxonomically classified. Despite preliminary, our observations provided the first records of fern-arthropod interactions described for Argentina, revealing a diverse array of fern-arthropod interactions. This survey denoted that there is high potential for future qualitative and quantitative analyses and comparisons with other regions, further underscoring the critical need to gather information particularly from the Global South. We hope this work will help to incentivize additional research on this largely unexplored topic within the country.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8409,"journal":{"name":"Arthropod-Plant Interactions","volume":"19 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144998436","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Seasonal and habitat variations of floral visitor networks in a Mediterranean maquis","authors":"Pierre-Yves Maestracci,&nbsp;Laurent Plume,&nbsp;Caroline de Zutter,&nbsp;Marc Gibernau","doi":"10.1007/s11829-025-10179-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11829-025-10179-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In natural ecosystems, species are interacting with many others constituting complex networks. Analysis of these networks enables us to describe and visualize ecological communities, which can vary greatly depending on the habitat and the season. Here, we have studied insect floral visitors explicitly considering the four main orders Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, Diptera, and Lepidoptera over nine months in 2022 across three sites in South-West Corsica. We recorded 2,848 insect–flower interactions involving 241 insect morpho-species and 54 plant species. Seven plant species accounted 61% of all insect observations and 81% of the recorded insect species diversity. Our results revealed pronounced spatial and temporal dynamics. Distinct seasonal floral visitor communities emerged at each site, with the highest diversity observed between spring and summer. The composition of key species varied markedly across seasons, <i>Bombus xanthopus</i>, <i>Oedemera</i> spp., and <i>Tropinota squalida</i> in spring; <i>Hylaeus</i> spp and <i>Mordellistena</i> spp. in summer; <i>Apis mellifera</i> and <i>Hylaeus</i> spp in autumn. Local plant diversity and landscape heterogeneity at both short (200 m) and long (1 km) scales likely contributed to spatial differences among sites. This study highlights the necessity of integrating understudied groups such as Coleoptera and extending sampling across seasons to fully capture the dynamics of plant–floral visitor networks. However, given the high diversity and taxonomic complexity of flower-visiting insects, direct management is challenging. Instead, prioritizing plant community management offers a practical means to support these interactions, particularly since visitor assemblages vary according to microhabitat and landscape structure. These insights are essential for understanding ecological processes and informing robust conservation strategies that encompass the variability of these interactions in Mediterranean ecosystems.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8409,"journal":{"name":"Arthropod-Plant Interactions","volume":"19 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11829-025-10179-5.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144998438","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The globe thistle habitat and attachment of Macrolophus pygmaeus on leaves of three Echinops species","authors":"Dagmar Voigt,&nbsp;Gert Horn,&nbsp;Stanislav Gorb","doi":"10.1007/s11829-025-10182-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11829-025-10182-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><i>Echinops</i> plants, a genus of globe thistles, have proven to be highly attractive to various arthropods in the field. They offer a complex, three-dimensional, and pubescent terrain that is conducive to omnivorous predatory mirid bugs, such as <i>Macrolophus pygmaeus</i>, and related species within the subfamily Bryocorinae (Heteroptera, Miridae), where many other entomophagous insects may struggle. A microscopic examination of the leaf surfaces of 20 <i>Echinops</i> accessions across five species and one subspecies revealed differences in their microstructural features. <i>Echinops bannaticus</i>, <i>Echinops exaltatus</i>, and <i>Echinops sphaerocephalus</i> were selected for detailed evaluation and included in traction force measurements with female <i>M. pygmaeus</i> to compare the bug's attachment on different plant surfaces. These insects demonstrated significantly stronger attachment to the leaves compared to glass, generating forces that were 47 to 12 times their body weight, respectively. The abaxial leaf surfaces, which are covered by a dense layer of tomentous trichomes, provided superior footholds compared to the adaxial glabrous or pruinose leaves. The larger the area covered with tomentous trichomes, the higher the safety factor (attachment force normalised by the bug's body weight) for the insects. In addition, the number of pulling movements decreased on glandular trichomes, likely to avoid being trapped by glandular secretion. This study provides further evidence of the essential role of the interaction between plant surfaces and insect integuments in insect–plant relationships. Insect settlement on plants depends on having proper footholds, which are influenced by surface properties. Consequently, these factors warrant more attention in future research on insect evolution, ecology, and pest management.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8409,"journal":{"name":"Arthropod-Plant Interactions","volume":"19 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11829-025-10182-w.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144998439","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Antixenosis: mechanism of resistance to whitefly in upland cotton introgression lines","authors":"Harsimran Kaur,&nbsp;Vijay Kumar,&nbsp;Dharminder Pathak,&nbsp;Manjeet Kaur Sangha","doi":"10.1007/s11829-025-10180-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11829-025-10180-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Screen house experiments were conducted under free-choice conditions to determine the antixenosis mechanism of host plant resistance in nineteen cotton test entries against whitefly, <i>Bemisia tabaci</i> (Gennadius). They were assessed for settling behavior and oviposition preference. The study revealed that introgression line D-12-7-4-P-2 was most preferred for whitefly settling and oviposition and categorized as highly susceptible, whereas synthetic polyploid, C1-P-1, C1-P-31, C1-P-20, and C1-P-36 were least preferred for oviposition by whitefly, falling under the resistant category and exhibiting an antixenosis mechanism of resistance. Various biophysical and biochemical parameters were estimated for each treatment and correlated with both settling and oviposition preference. Among biophysical parameters, trichome density, leaf area, and vascular bundle length showed significantly positive correlations, whereas leaf lamina thickness was negatively correlated with settling behavior and ovipositional preference. Sugars were predominantly higher in whitefly susceptible lines, whereas phenols, tannins, and proteins were comparatively higher in resistant genotypes. Among biochemical parameters, total soluble sugars and reducing sugars registered a positive  association, while total soluble proteins, crude proteins, total phenols, and total tannins showed negative correlations with whitefly settling and ovipositional preference. It may thus be concluded that the antixenosis mechanism of resistance is operating in cotton lines and that biophysical and biochemical parameters play a predominant role in imparting resistance against <i>B. tabaci</i>. These identified resistant cotton introgression lines can be used to obtain whitefly-resistant cultivars.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8409,"journal":{"name":"Arthropod-Plant Interactions","volume":"19 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144998440","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Identification of pod borer resistant pigeonpea: an introgression breeding with Cajanus scarabaeoides accompanied by integrated screening","authors":"G. K. Sujayanand,&nbsp;Sachin Dubey,&nbsp;Dibendu Datta,&nbsp;Satheesh Naik,&nbsp;Kalpana Tewari,&nbsp;Anup Chandra,&nbsp;Rinki Devi,&nbsp;Prabhu Govindasamy,&nbsp;G. P. Dixit","doi":"10.1007/s11829-025-10178-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11829-025-10178-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Pod borer, <i>Helicoverpa armigera</i> Hubner is a major insect pest inflicting significant losses in pigeonpea, <i>Cajanus cajan</i> (L.). Lack of viable pod borer resistant source in the primary gene pool of pigeonpea has led to initiation of pre-breeding programmes with wild <i>Cajanus</i> species. The present study was conducted with 38 promising introgressed lines (ILs) derived from <i>Cajanus scarabaeoides</i> (L.) Thouars into agronomic background of ‘early 3’ and ‘UPAS120’. The ILs were screened for pod borer resistance under natural field infestation during <i>kharif</i> 2019–2021 along with the reference genotypes. The pod fly, <i>Melanagromyza obtusa</i> Malloch (14.39–29.11%) and pod borer (1.78–2.52%) has recorded highest mean percent pod damage. The 2 IL’s, WDBCE 6-3-4-6 and WDBCE 6-3-4-7 were found to be pod borer resistant based on PRSR score (4, 4 and 3) and the same has been confirmed in detached pod, no-choice assay. The lower infestation was correlated to the higher phenol content (14.21 and 11.52) and lower total soluble sugar (TSS) (29.96 and 27.34) in the resistant genotypes. Further, PCA-biplot analysis on seven morphometric traits revealed that 4 morphological traits (pod wall thickness, pedicel length, seed thickness, and seed length) and 2 floral characters viz., ‘purple’ colored flowers with ‘sparse’ streak pattern were strongly associated with WDBCE 6-3-4-6 and WDBCE 6-3-4-7. The identified 2 genotypes hold immense potential as pod borer resistance donor in further breeding program or it may be released as varieties after confirming the yield stability in the multilocation trials.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8409,"journal":{"name":"Arthropod-Plant Interactions","volume":"19 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2025-08-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144918305","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Variation in body size and sexual size dimorphism in a seed-feeding beetle: testing the effect of seed quality over two generations without larval competition","authors":"Marcelo N. Rossi,&nbsp;Eloísa B. Haga,&nbsp;Alicia Wood,&nbsp;Bárbara C. A. Nunes,&nbsp;Rovena F. Contente","doi":"10.1007/s11829-025-10177-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11829-025-10177-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Understanding how resource quality influences the life-history traits of organisms has been a pivotal question in ecological and evolutionary studies, especially for insects, which usually present short generation times and are easily reared in the laboratory. Using the study system composed by the host plant <i>Leucaena leucocephala</i> and the seed-feeding beetle <i>Acanthoscelides macrophthalmus</i>, we investigated which of the following seed traits, biomass (i.e., seed size), water content, <i>C</i>/<i>N</i> ratio, hardness, and phenolic contents, influenced the body size and the sexual size dimorphism (SSD) of this beetle. The effect of seed quality was investigated over two generations, excluding larval competition. We also evaluated female fecundity over one generation. For both generations, we found that female body size was not affected by any of the seed traits investigated. However, for the males of the <i>F</i>₁ generation, the pronotum width was positively related to seed biomass and inversely related to the <i>C</i>/<i>N</i> ratio, and the elytron width and length were both positively related to biomass and hardness, whereas in the <i>F</i>₂ generation the three morphological traits were all positively related to hardness and inversely related to water content. We also found that the number of eggs laid decreased linearly with hardness. The SSD was significant only for the <i>F</i>₁ generation according to changes in seed biomass and hardness. In summary, we found that biomass and hardness were the most important traits that affected body size variation and SSD when larval competition was absent, even though this effect was observed only for the males.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8409,"journal":{"name":"Arthropod-Plant Interactions","volume":"19 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2025-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144909671","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}