Effects of elevated CO2 on resistant and susceptible rice cultivar and its primary host, brown plant hopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens (Stal)

Abstract Elevated CO2 has positive response on plant growth and negative response on insect pests. As a contemplation, the feeding pattern of the brown plant hopper, Nilaparvata lugens Stål on susceptible and resistant rice cultivars and their growth rates exposed to elevated CO2 conditions were analyzed. The elevated CO2 treatment showed significant differences in percentage of emergence and rice biomass that were consistent across the rice cultivars, when compared to the ambient conditions. Similarly, increase in carbon and nitrogen ratio of leaves and alterations in defensive peroxidase enzyme levels were observed, but was non-linear among the cultivars tested. Lower survivorship and nutritional indices of N. lugens were observed in conditions of elevated CO2 levels over ambient conditions. Results were nonlinear in manner. We conclude that the plant carbon accumulation increased due to elevated CO2, causing physiological changes that decreased nitrogen content. Similarly, elevated CO2 increased insect feeding, but did not alter other variables such as their biology or reproduction.