[Effects of calcium fertilizer on the development, survival, and feeding of B-biotype Bemisia tabaci on Euphorbia pulcherrima].

This paper studied the development, survival, and feeding of B-biotype Bemisia tabaci on Euphorbia pulcherrima under the conditions of 26 +/- 1 degrees C and 60% - 80% relative humidity after applying calcium fertilizer, taking applying fresh water as the control. There existed significant differences in the developmental duration of B. tabaci between treatment applying calcium fertilizer and the control. After applying calcium fertilizer, the egg stage of B. tabaci shortened significantly, and the development from egg to adult took 20.18 days (for the control, it took 18.72 days). However, there were no significant differences in the survival rates of B. tabaci at different development stages between the two treatments. The feeding of B. tabaci on E. pulcherrima induced the plant leaf chlorophyll fluorescence parameters changed, i. e., the photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm), photochemical quenching coefficient (q(p)), light use efficiency (alpha), maximum photosynthesis rate (rETRmax), and tolerance to light (I(k)) decreased significantly, while the non-photochemical quenching coefficient (NPQ) had a significant increase. After applying calcium fertilizer, the plant leaf photoinhibition parameter (beta), rETRmax, and I(k) had less difference with th e control. The nail polish blot observation on the lower epidermis structure of plant leaf showed that calcium fertilizer could effectively compensate the decrease in the photosynthesis of E. pulcherrima damaged by B-biotype B. tabaci.