Population Growth of Dysaphis pyri (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on Different Pear Cultivars With Discussion on Curve Fitting in Life Table Studies.

Population growth parameters of the Dysaphis pyri (Boyer de Fonscolombe) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) were evaluated on four different cultivars (Coscia, Ankara, Williams, and Santa-Maria) of pear (Pyrus communis L.) under field conditions in the Van region of Turkey. Aphids were kept on leaves of 10-yr-old pear trees in Plexiglas clip-cells (20 mm in diameter and 10 mm in height, with the upper side covered with muslin). For the description of the stage differentiation during population growth, we analyzed raw data of developmental time, survival, and fecundity using the age-stage, two-sex life table to take the variable developmental rate among individuals into account. Results indicated that the Coscia and Ankara cultivars are less favorable hosts for D. pyri because of the longer preadult developmental time, higher preadult mortality rate, and lower total fecundity on these cultivars. The intrinsic rate of increase (r), the net reproduction rate (R0), and the finite rate of increase (λ) values were lower on the Coscia and Ankara cultivars. We discussed the application of the Weibull function, polynomial model, and Enkegaard model in life table studies. Because these models are often inaccurate in describing survival and reproduction parameters, we suggest that their application in life table research should be reevaluated.