An index of acceptability to green peach aphids forSolanum germplasm and for a suspected non-host plant

An electronic system that recorded feeding activity was used in replicated trials conducted to evaluate 25Solarium cultivars and 1Pelargonium (geranium) cultivar for acceptability to the green peach aphid,Myzus persicae (Sulzer). The number of probes and the time spent in probing were found to be indicators of relative acceptability; the number of feedings and the time spent in feeding were not. Although tests as brief as 15 min were useful in screeningSolarium germplasm for resistance to the green peach aphid, 30 min tests were deemed more reliable. An index of acceptability was prepared by using the potato variety Katahdin as a standard for comparison.