High-Throughput Feeding Bioassay for Lepidoptera Larvae

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Entomology
• Plant Science
• Bioinformatics

Background:

• Developing pest-resistant plants is time-consuming and expensive.
• Lepidopteran pests cause significant crop damage globally.
• Efficient screening methods are crucial for agricultural sustainability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a high-throughput leaf-disk consumption assay for screening plant resistance and chemical antifeedants.
• To develop automated image analysis and statistical methods for quantifying larval feeding behavior.
• To validate the assay system using azadirachtin and quinine against European corn borer larvae.

Main Methods:

• A webcam-based system captures images of larvae feeding on leaf disks over time.
• An open-source image analysis program quantifies leaf surface area reduction.
• Custom statistical procedures analyze feeding kinetics and treatment effects.

Main Results:

• The assay successfully monitored feeding activity of 150 larvae simultaneously.
• Azadirachtin demonstrated dose-dependent feeding deterrence.
• Quinine showed limited efficacy as an antifeedant within the tested concentration range.

Conclusions:

• The developed high-throughput assay is effective for screening plant resistance and chemical antifeedants against lepidopteran pests.
• The system provides a cost-effective and efficient alternative to traditional screening methods.
• Freely available components facilitate adoption and further development in pest management research.