LABORATORY EXPERIMENT 1: HOST PLANT RESISTANCE

JUICY P. GERARDO

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LABORATORY EXPERIMENT 1

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MAY 2020
 I. INTRODUCTION

Aphids are one of the most devastating pests in the farm, they exist in a large population,

these are very small and almost cannot be seen in a naked eye if it is not adult. They brought

conflict to the farmers because this is considered to be a destructive pest. Aphids cause damage

by sucking the plants extract. They usually attach themselves to the soft, green stems of the plant

and causes damage to the leaves and stems. According to the study conducted by Sorensen,

2009, Aphids cause damage and lower agricultural yields in several ways. They can build to

high population densities, removing plant nutrients, and may damage plants by removing enough

sap to cause withering and death.

This study uses aphids because it is one of the models for studies of plant. Aphids are the

main insect pests of agricultural crops in temperate regions causing major economic losses. This

study is conducted to determine which variety of mustard is preferably for the aphids. Moreover,

the result of this study will serve us an initial knowledge for the farmers who are planting

mustards.

Mustard is used as an experimental plant because of its properties and avilability. The two

varieties applied in the study are Chinese and Monteverde. There are three treatments used

consist of three replicates in each of the three treatments. In Treatment 1 which is the Free

Choice contains 10 alive aphids while in Treatment 2 which is the No Choice consist of only 5

aphids. Organza fabric is used as a protector to the Mustard and also to the aphids present in each

pot to avoid other insects or pest to enter the Mustard.

 II. MATERIALS AND METHODS

The following are the materials used in the activity:

1. 18” X 12” pots= 216” or 6 yards’ organza cloth

2. 9 pieces’ poly ethylene bags

3. 1 seedling tray

4. Camel brush

5. Mustard seedlings

6. 1-3 string beans plant (source of inoculum)

7. 4 sticks x 9 pots=36 sticks

8. Scotch tape

9. Garden soil (compost/animal manure + soil + sand)

10. Plastic straw/string

11. Mosquito net

12. Container; microwavable

These are the procedures/methods utilized in the activity:

1. Cage and Organza Fabric Preparation

The cage size is .75 m consists of 4 sticks and tied by wire, while the organza fabric was

sewed.

2. Garden Soil Preparation

The soil used is a mixture of a natural soil, black soil and Carbonized Rice Hull (CRH)

3. Sowing of Seeds

There are two (2) varieties used in the study, the Chinese and Monteverde. One hundred

seeds in each variety are sown in the seedling tray.

4. Transplanting of Mustard

There are four (4) Mustard in each pot, 2 Chinese in front and 2 Monteverde at the back.

All in all there are 12 Mustard in each Treatment.

5. Covering of Soil with White Paper

This is done to observe the aphids below the Mustard properly. We used white cartolina

to make it more visible.

6. Aphids Infestation

In Treatment 1 (Free Choice), there are ten (10) aphids in each pot. In Treatment 2

(Control) has no aphids and serves as a basis in the study while in Treatment 3 (No Choice) have

five (5) aphids in each pot.

7. Covering of Mustard

This is done not only to protect the Mustard but also to protect the aphids from their

predators.

8. Data Gathering

The data to be gathered are the number of aphids present in the Mustard every 1 hour, 3

hours, 3 days and 7 days

 III. OBSERVATIONS

Based on my observation in the activity, upon preparing the aphids to be put in the

mustard, it is hard to count and get it from the string beans leaf because it is very thin and they

move so quickly. But when we already put it in the mustard, some went to another leaf and some

stayed in the place where we put them. Maybe they will be sucking the leaf for their survival. I

also noticed that the aphids are more likely to go to the Monteverde variety of mustard so as a

result, the Monteverde is the most devastated variety because of the presence of aphids.

Moreover, there are some insect pest get inside the cage like cutworms and small bugs.

The cutworms ate some aphids in the mustard so there are some that are lost. I say so because

when we get the cutworm there are tiny black in its stomach and it is the aphids. I therefore

realize that even how careful we cover the mustard with aphids, there is still other insects that

will be going to attack the plant.

 IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Here are the results and discussion of the activity;

FREE CHOICE

TREATMENT 1 HOUR 24 HOURS 3 DAYS 7 DAYS

1
Chinese- 1 Chinese- 4 (died) Chinese- 4 (died) Chinese- 4 (died)
Monteverde- 2 Monteverde- 0 Monteverde- 2 Monteverde- 0
REPLICATE 1 Box- 3 Soil- 2 (died) Paper- 3 Soil- 2 (died)
Label- 2 Missing- 4 Missing- 1 Missing- 4
Paper- 2
Chinese- 0 Chinese- 6 (died) Chinese- 6 (died) Chinese- 6 (died)
REPLICATE 2 Monteverde- 5 Monteverde- 0 Monteverde- 2 Monteverde- 1
Paper- 5 Missing- 4 Missing- 2 Paper- 2
Missing- 1
Chinese- 0 Chinese- 2 Chinese- 4 (died) Chinese- 1 (live)
REPLICATE 3 Monteverde- 0 Monteverde- 1 Monteverde- 3 Monteverde- 2
Box- 7 Box- 4 Box- 2 Box- 1
Paper- 2 Paper- 2 (died) Missing- 1 Missing- 2
Label- 1 Missing- 1 Chinese- 4 (died)

The table above shows the result of aphids left in the mustard and what particular variety

do they stayed. As you can see, there are only 4 aphids alive after 7 days and majority of the

aphids in Chinese variety died. There are some that resides in soil, paper, label and paper box

also some are missing. The most variety that are more likely by the aphids are Monteverde

variety.

NO CHOICE

TREATMENT 1 HOUR 24 HOURS 3 DAYS 7 DAYS

 3

Chinese- 2 Chinese- 4 (died) Chinese- 4 (died) Chinese- 4 (died)

Monteverde- 1 Monteverde- 1 Monteverde- 1 Monteverde- 1
REPLICATE 1 Paper- 2

Chinese- 1 Chinese- 2(died) Chinese- 2 (died) Chinese- 2 (died)

REPLICATE 2 Monteverde- 4 Monteverde- 2 Monteverde- 3 Monteverde- 3
Missing- 1

Chinese- 2 Chinese- 4 (died) Chinese- 4 (died) Chinese- 4 (died)

REPLICATE 3 Monteverde- 3 Monteverde- 3 Monteverde- 1 Monteverde- 1
Paper- 3

This table represents the result of the Treatment 3 in the study the no choice. Based on

the result, after 7 days, all aphids in the Chinese variety died while there are 5 aphids alive in

Monteverde. Majority of them died, there are just some that cannot be identify if still alive or

not.
 V. SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, RFLECTION
To sum it up, in order to conduct the activity, we prepared the things we needed like

planting the mustard in 9 pots, 4 mustard in each pots consist of 2 Chinese and 2 Monteverde

after which, we collected black aphids in the string beans and put it in a microwavable box so

that it would be safe. Moreover, we divided the pots in 3 treatments T1 is the Free Choice, T2 is

the control and T3 is the No Choice so there are 3 replicates in each treatment. The T1 consist of

10 aphids in each replicate and in T3 consist of 5 aphids in each replicate. We observed it after 1

hour, 24 hours, 3 days, and 7 days. 14 aphids left in T1 while 5 aphids left in T3. The variety that

aphids mostly reside is the Monteverde therefore Monteverde is the most devastated mustard.

In conclusion, the aphids like to suck the mustard leaves because it serves as their food.

Furthermore, aphids more motivated to reside in Monteverde maybe because of its taste. Other

insect pests had entered the cage and attack the aphids so that some aphids are missing. Aphids

like the mustard leaves but they are more attracted to the string beans for they are from it and

they are not a mustard aphid.

As a reflection, the mustard must be water every day to maintain its growth because aside

from it is not watered regularly, they are being attack by insect pest so it will result to

unattractive leaves. On the other hand, in order to have a great activity, the cage must be well

organized as well as the organza fabric so that other insects will not enter the cage and attack the

aphids specially the mustard.

 VI. LITERATURE CITED
N. Sharma , 2015 Studies on Integrated Management of aphids. Aphids is the major

limiting factor in the production of mustard. It causes severe damage to the plants by sucking

plant sap from the tender shoots and flowers of the plant in the beginning and later sucks the sap

from tender pods. The infested plant become weak and stunted. Several infested plant do not

flower at all. The excessive excretion of honey dew by the aphids on the leaves result in the

growth of black shootee mold which interferes in the photosynthetic activity of the leaves.

R. Harrington et.al, 2017 Aphids as crop pest. Aphids are among the major global pest

groups causing serious economic damage to many food and commodity crops in most parts of

the world.

R. Blackman et.al, 2008 Aphids ion the world’s herbaceous plants and shrubs. Aphids

are well known as pest of agriculture, horticulture and forestry but they are also one of the most

biologically interesting group of plant-feeding insects.

S. Patel et.al, 2004 Assessment of yield loses in mustard (Brassica juncea L.) due to

mustard aphid under different thermal environments. Aphids has been reported as one of the

devastating pests in realizing the potential productivity of mustard.

S. Banerjee et.al, 2004 Journal of Biological Chemistry. Aphids causes severe damage to

various crops. This pest not only affects plant by sucking on the phloem but it also transmits

single stranded RNA while feeding which cause disease and damage to the crop.

J. Burd et.al, 2017 Journal in economic entomology. Aphids caused substantial

reduction in biomass of all plant component measured. When aphids were remove, absolute

growth rates quickly recovered as relative growth rates increased.

 Hammond G., 2002, "Aphididae (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Aphids are one of the

worst groups of pests on plants. They damage plants directly by feeding on them, and they also

carry plant diseases from plant to plant.

Sorensen J.T. 2009, Encyclopedia of Insects, Aphid damage is among the most serious of

agricultural and horticultural problems. A pest aphid species may affect only a very specific

crop, a group of related crop hosts.

Perring T.M, 2018, Management of Anthropod Pest of Tomato, Aphids, as a group,

represent some of the most damaging insects to agriculture in the world.

Keanne E.M, 1993, Genetic Improvement of Vegetable Crop, Aphids are vectors for

several viruses. The aphid attacks the root system causing wilting of the plant, particularly in dry

conditions.

Ravishankar M. Sustainable Management of Anthropod Pest of Tomato, they occur in

large numbers on the tender shoots and lower leaf surfaces, and suck the plant sap. Slightly

infested leaves exhibit yellowing, while severe aphid infestations cause young leaves to curl and

become deformed, stunt plant growth, and reduce the number and quality of flowers and fruits.

Aphids also produce honeydew, which leads to the development of sooty mold on leaf surfaces

that reduces the photosynthetic efficiency of the plants

Dewhirst S.Y., 2010, Vitamins and Hormones Aphids are the main insect pests of

agricultural crops in temperate regions causing major economic losses.

 Sorensen, J.T. Encyclopedia of Insects (Second Edition), 2009, Aphid damage is among

the most serious of agricultural and horticultural problems.

Capinera, C. L., 2001 in his article entitled Handbook of Vegetable Pests Aphids feed on

the new growth, causing shortening of the internodes, resetting, dwarfing, and reduced root

growth.

Keane E.M. 2005,Genetic Improvement of Vegetable Crops, heavily infested plants have

a bushy or bonzai-like appearance. Aphid infestation can kill seedlings or small plants in a

relatively short time.