Studies on the Feeding and Nutrition of Tuberolachnus Salignus (Gmelin) (Homoptera, Aphididae):

Abstract

1. A study has been made of the factors involved in the uptake of phloem sap by Tuberolachnus salignus (Gmelin) feeding on the stems of various Salix spp. 2. A method has been developed for maintaining the parthenogenetic viviparous forms of T. salignus in culture throughout the year. 3. It has been established that during normal feeding T. salignus have the tips of their stylets inserted into the phloem sieve-tubes of the host plant. 4. The phloem sieve-tube sap of intact and turgid willow stems is under considerable pressure. This pressure forces the sieve-tube mp up the stylet food canal of feeding aphids, and also causes the sieve-tube sap to exude for many hours from the cut end of embedded stylet bundles. 5. Intact and feeding T. salignus rely almost entirely on this pressure to maintain their normal rate of eieve-tube sap uptake. The aphids must, however, swallow actively in order to ingest.