NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION OF POTATO FOLIAGE

The foliage of the potato Solanum tuberosum (L.)was analyzed to gain u nderstanding of the within-plant distribution of the Colorado potato b eetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say, and to develop a synthetic diet useful for rearing of this insect for experimental purposes. Foliage f rom three age classes was analyzed for protein, amino acid composition of protein, free amino acids, sugar, starch, nonstarch polysaccharide s, dietary fiber, and trace elements. Concentrations of the amino acid s glutamine, serine, asparagine, glutamic acid, proline, histidine, an d arginine were higher in the youngest foliage than in the two older c ategories. Protein content was highest in the youngest foliage. With t he exceptions of copper and phosphorus, the oldest foliage had the hig hest mineral levels. Concentrations of sugars were highest in the olde st foliage. The concentrations of nonstarch polysaccharides tended to be lowest in the youngest foliage.