The effects of feeding by the black bean aphidAphis fabae Scop. (Homoptera: Aphididae) on copper and cadmium accumulation in broad bean (Vicia faba L.).

Broad beans (Vicia faba L.), cultured hydroponically were supplied with 100 μg mL(-1) copper or 50 μg mL(-1) cadmium in nutrient solution. Samples of plant material from both nutrient regimes were analysed before and after infestation by the black bean aphid (Aphis fabae Scop.). Heavy aphid infestation resulted in a significant reduction in copper content of shoots in comparison with uninfested plants. A similar, but less well- defined, situation occurred in the case of cadmium.Further investigations examined the effects of different levels of aphid infestation on the above phenomena. In all cases the presence of feeding aphids reduced elemental accumulation in plant shoots. Long term infestation with population densities as low as three adult aphids showed a reduction in shoot copper and cadmium content.