Low temperature acclimated populations of the grain aphid Sitobion avenae retain ability to rapidly cold harden with enhanced fitness

Abstract

In contrast to previous studies of rapid cold-hardening (RCH), which have investigated the responses of insects maintained under 'summer conditions' (20° to 25°C), this study focuses on the ability of low-temperature acclimated insects to undergo RCH. When the grain aphid Sitobion avenae Fabricus was low-temperature acclimated by rearing for three generations at 10°C, the discriminating temperatures (temperature that results in approximately 20% survival after direct transfer from the rearing temperature to a sub-zero temperature for a period of 3 h), of first instar nymphs and adult aphids were -11.5° and -12°C, respectively. Maximum rapid cold-hardening was induced by cooling aphids at 0°C for 2 h (nymphs) or 30 min (adults), resulting in survival at the respective discriminating temperatures increasing from 26% to 96% (nymphs) and 22% to 70% (adults). Cooling from 10° to 0°C at 1°, 0.1° and 0.05°C min-1 significantly increased survival of nymphs at the discriminating temperature, but not of adults. There were no 'ecological costs' associated with rapid cold-hardening at 0°C, or with exposure of rapidly cold-hardened aphids to the discriminating temperatures; fecundity and longevity, in both nymphs and adults were either similar to control aphids or significantly increased. The study demonstrates that rapid cold-hardening ability is retained in aphids that have already undergone cold-acclimation, as would be the case in overwintering aphids. Both rapid cold-hardening and subsequent exposure at previously lethal temperatures can enhance fitness in surviving individuals.