fairfolio
Saved Projects

What Are the Effects of a Stressed Host Plant on Aphids?

CSEF · 2002 Zoology

Clara L. Laursen · North (John Wesley) High School, Riverside

Overview

Objectives/Goals The objective of my project was to determine how various aspects of aphids , such as weight and adaptive behavior(reproduction or translocation), would be affected by living on a stressed host plant. Methods/Materials 18 identical sugarbeet sproutlings in identical pots of soil were obtained. Half ogf them were randomely chosen to be stressed. They were stressed by being transplanted into dry soil identical to that which both had before. Using 1 fine camelhair paintbrush, 72 green peach aphids of the same age were placed 4 to each plant. Everyday for the next approximately week (depending on the age of the aphids and how long it takes them to reproduce) use an opti-visor every day to count the aphids. When all of the aphids were adults, I used a Denver Industrial Company TR-64 top loading balance to weigh each aphid and compare the stressed versus the non-stressed aphids. Results There was a consistently larger number of aphids on the healthy plants. However, there was no significant difference in the weight of the aphids. Conclusions/Discussion My project suggested that aphid's weight and size are not affected by living on a stressed host plant,and that aphids will deal with the problem of a stressed host plant by simply moving.

Summary statement

My project is about the effects of a stressed host plant on aphids.

Help received

Entomologist Greg Walker, from UCR, helped me in several ways. He provided me with aphids, plants, space in a greenhouse, and information on how to care for them.

Competition history

  • CSEF 2002 Zoology · Entry S1913

Resources

Related projects

Closest projects by meaning, across every fair and year in the corpus.

Browse more like this

Source: California Science & Engineering Fair public projects

Save projects to your library

Sign in with Google to keep track of projects you find interesting, organized into folders. An account also raises your daily allowance for “Has this been done?”, and lets you create a key for the MCP server with a much higher limit than anonymous use. Browsing stays public.

Continue with Google