Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA) Santoshangar, Hyderabad, A.P.-500 059, India.
The information on effects of elevated Carbon dioxide (CO2) and temperature on insect-plant interactions has been compiled and reviewed. Substantial changes in phytochemistry of plants were mentioned by several workers under elevated CO2 conditions. Decreased nitrogen (N), tremulacin, increased tannin, starch levels led to reduction in nutritional quality in array of plants exposed. To compensate these changes the consumption rate of larvae increased. Differential response was observed among various guilds of insects. In class Insecta, lepidopterans and homopterans were studied exclusively. Decreased relative growth rate, prolonged development time in lepidoptera (leaf chewers), increased abundance and fecundity in homoptera (sap suckers) were reported. The impact of elevated temperature was mentioned.
