Yanpeng Liu, Yifan Tian, Wantong Zou, Chengxu Gu, Wenbo Wei, Zhenqi Tian, Jian Liu
The foxglove aphid, Aulacorthum solani (Kaltenbach), is a major economic pest in Asian soybean fields. Previous studies on its life parameters often used detached soybean leaves, which may not accurately reflect development and reproduction due to disrupted nutrient flow. This study compared survival, development, and reproduction of A. solani on living versus detached leaves at 19, 22, 25, 28, 31, and 34 °C. Between 19 and 28 °C, aphids developed and reproduced successfully on both leaf types. At 31 °C, nymphs failed to mature on detached leaves but reached adulthood on living leaves, though no nymphs were produced. At 19, 22, and 25 °C, fecundity and net reproductive rate were overestimated on detached leaves. At 28 and 31 °C, adult longevity, total longevity, oviposition day, fecundity, intrinsic and finite rates of increase, and net reproductive rate were underestimated on detached leaves. The mean developmental rate (y, reciprocal of nymph duration) on living leaves in relation to temperature (x) follows the equation y = 0.0088 x-0.0717. The lower developmental threshold is 8.15 °C, and the effective cumulative temperature required for nymph-to-adult development is 113.64 degree-days. On detached leaves, the equation y = 0.0055 x + 0.0043 yields an invalid threshold of -0.78 °C and 181.82 degree-days. These findings underscore the necessity of using living soybean leaves for accurate life table studies of A. solani, critical for predicting field populations and improving control strategies.