Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 84 (3): 407-417, 2011
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Importance of diet in the growth, survivorship and reproduction of the no-tillage
pest Armadillidium vulgare (Crustacea: Isopoda)
The studies of Armadillidium vulgare as pest are virtually null
worldwide. However under no-tillage systems this species has found an adequate environment for its development and it
has become an important pest in some crops in Argentina. It has been shown that the composition of vegetables affects the
isopods biology. Our hypothesis was that soybean leaf litter has high nutritive value which allows A. vulgare to
grow faster, survive longer, and have higher fecundity favoring the population increase and turning it into a crop pest.
Growth and survivorship of juveniles and adults, egg incubation period, offspring number per female and offspring mean
body weight were determined in individuals fed with leaf litter of soybean, sunflower, wheat and pasture. The growth rate
coefficient, k, in juveniles was higher for soybean, intermediate for pasture and lower for sunflower. Adult growth was faster
under the soybean diet. Survivorship under soybean and pasture was longer than under sunflower and wheat in both
juveniles and adults. The reproductive parameters were similar in all diets, food did not generate any change in the
reproductive aspects of A. vulgare. Results of the present study represent a source of information
about the A. vulgare biology under different diets of agricultural origin to establish the basis for Integrated
Management of this species as pest. Under soybean litter provision A. vulgare found the best conditions for
faster growth, longer survival and relatively higher fecundity. In fields with soybean as preceding crop or in systems with
high frequency of soybean in the crop rotation a more abundant population of A. vulgare would be found as
well as with larger individuals which could cause more damage to the following crop in the rotation.
Key words:
crop leaf litter,
food quality, herbivore, N content
