• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.485-488
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• 1999

This study was conducted to obtain a basic information on the structural and histological characteristics of Gerbera hybrida Hort. leaf injured by american serpentine leafminer (ASL), Liriomyza trifolii, by using light and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Based on the anatomical observation of leaf blade injured by L. trifolii, the injury process could be divided into three stages. In the initial stage, the punctured tiny holes where ASL layed eggs after suction in the upperside of leaf were observed in the palisade parenchyma. In the middle stage, the hatched larvae made mines in the palisade parenchyma only. In the final stage, the mature larvae grew up making the mines bigger, and just before going out from the epidermis, it injured the inside of leaf containing one layer palisade parenchyma and two layers of spongy parenchyma.