DOES MYZUS PERCISEAE REDUCE BOTRYTIS CINEREA INFECTION?

¹Yahaya, S.M. and ²Hauwa, Y.I.

¹Department of Biology Kano University of Science and Technology, Wudil, Kano State, Nigeria.

²Audu Bako School of Agriculture, Dambatta, Kano State, Nigeria

E-mail: sanimyahya@yahaoo.com

ABSTRACT

Direct and indirect interactions are the consequences that occur following attack on plants and their produce by pathogens and insect herbivores.  Here experiment was presented which shows that bi-directional interaction occur when systemic pathogen Botrytis cinerea Pears Fr (Helotiales Sclerotiniaceae) and an insect herbivore green peach aphid Myzus persicae share same host plant  lettuce Lactuca sativa (Asteraceae: Compositae). The bi-directional interaction result in reduction of B. cinerea lesion when compared with the infected but uninfested plants. Result also showed that infected uninfested plants showed reduced leaf number, internode length, fresh and dry weight of the plant than B. cinerea infected plants which were infested with M. persicae.