Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dsjbd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T18:35:19.232Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

THE INFLUENCE OF SOIL MOISTURE ON SURVIVAL OF EGGS OF THE PRAIRIE GRAIN WIREWORM, CTENICERA DESTRUCTOR1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

John F. Doane
John F. Doane
Affiliation:
Research Station, Canada Department of Agriculture, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Extreme differences in survival of eggs of Ctenicera destructor (Brown) were observed when eggs were placed at depths ranging from 1/2 to 4 in. in the soil in the field. These differences were closely related to the soil moisture variations recorded during different seasons. Eggs that had absorbed water before being placed in the field were much more resistant to desiccation than those that had not absorbed water.

In the laboratory, eggs absorbed water, developed and hatched in soil dried to a constant moisture level of 8.2% (dry weight basis) at 98% R.H., but were unable to absorb water from soil dried to moisture equilibrium at 96.6% R.H., or from soil wetted to moisture equilibrium at 98% R.H. Some water was absorbed by eggs placed in air at 98% R.H., but this was insufficient for normal development and hatching. The soil moisture tension of soil dried to moisture equilibrium at 98% R.H. was calculated as approximately 31 atmospheres. It is evident that eggs are able to develop remarkably high internal suctions in order to absorb water from such soil.

Both the field and laboratory results showed that in drying soil, the lower limit of soil moisture at which eggs could absorb water was about 8%, considerably below the permanent wilting percentage (9.9%) of the soil used in these studies.

Type
Articles
Information
The Canadian Entomologist , Volume 100 , Issue 4 , April 1968 , pp. 362 - 373
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1968

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Baver, L. D. 1961. Soil Physics. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York.Google Scholar
Buckman, H. O., and Brady, N. C.. 1960. The nature and properties of soils. Macmillan Co., New York.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Doane, J. F. 1966. Absorption and content of water in eggs of Ctenicera destructor (Brown), Ctenicera aeripennis (Kirby) and Hypolithus bicolor Eschscholtz (Coleoptera: Elateridae). Can. Ent. 98: 482–486.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Doane, J. F., and Allan, R. K.. 1968. A chamber for studying the effect of relative humidity and soil moisture on insect eggs. Can. Ent. This issue.Google Scholar
Jones, E. W. 1951. Laboratory studies on the moisture relations of Limonius (Coleoptera: Elateridae). Ecology 32: 284–293.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Morrison, F. O. 1937. Study of the life history and control of wireworms (larval forms of elaterid beetles) with especial reference to Ludius aeripennis destructor Brown. M.S. Thesis, University of Alberta.Google Scholar
O'Brien, F. E. M. 1948. The control of humidity by saturated salt solutions. J. scient. Instrum. 25: 73–77.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Richards, L. A., and Weaver, L. R.. 1943. Fifteen atmosphere percentage as related to permanent wilting percentage. Soil. Sci. 56: 331–340.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Richards, L. A. 1949. Methods of measuring soil moisture tensions. Soil Sci. 68: 95–112.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Richardson, G. M., and Malthus, R. S.. 1955. Salts for static control of humidity at relatively low levels. J. appl. Chem. 5: 557–566.Google Scholar
Schein, R. D. 1964. Comments on the moisture requirements of fungus germination. Phytopathology 54: 1427.Google Scholar
Schofield, R. K. 1935. The pF of water in soil. Trans. 3rd int. Congr. Soil Sci. Vol. 2. pp. 37–48.Google Scholar
Thomas, M. D. 1924. Aqueous vapor pressure of soils. II. Studies in dry soils. Soil. Sci. 17: 1–18.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Turnipseed, S. G., and Rabb, R. L.. 1965. Effects of temperature and moisture on survival of eggs of the tobacco wireworm. J. econ. Ent. 58: 1155–1156.Google Scholar
Winston, P. W., and Bates, D. H.. 1960. Saturated solutions for the control of humidity in biological research. Ecology 41: 232–237.CrossRefGoogle Scholar