Abstract
Field trials conducted in 2008 and 2009 investigated whether plot size affects incidence of white flower anther injury by tarnished plant bug (Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois)) in host plant resistance (HPR) evaluations. The three cotton lines evaluated in the trial included a susceptible frego bract line (RBCDHGPIQH-197) and 2 standards, SureGrow (SG) 105 and Deltapine (DP) 393. Samplers monitored white flower anther injury between single row mini-plots embedded within multiple row max-plots. A sub-section of the max-plots was sprayed with insecticides to evaluate these tactics on altering the incidence of white flower anther injury. Plant bug numbers were very low in 2008, while infestation levels were higher in 2009. Significantly higher numbers of flowers with anther injury were observed in both years in the susceptible frego bract line compared to SG 105 and DP 393 lines. In both years, anther injury levels were similar in the max- and mini-plots, with lower levels observed in max-sprayed plots. The white flower monitoring procedure is a consistent indicator of adult plant bug preferences and is not influenced by plot size or interspersions of cultivar lines among plots.
Highlights
Insecticides remain the chief method for managing tarnished plant bugs (TPB) ((Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois)) in Mid-South cotton
Regardless of the cultivar line assigned to the max-plots or mini-plots, white flower anther injury (WFAI) from plant bug feeding in the susceptible frego cotton line was significantly greater than that of the Suregrow (SG) 105 and Deltapine (DP) 393 lines
Despite the uncontrollable effects of weather on plant growth and the marked difference in numbers of TPB each year, the statistical analyses indicate that effects due to plot sizes and cultivar interspersion had no effect on TPB preference for these three cotton cultivars
Summary
Insecticides remain the chief method for managing tarnished plant bugs (TPB) ((Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois)) in Mid-South cotton. Ongoing research programs are directed at improving host plant resistance (HPR) to this important pest, thereby expanding options for its control. One focus of HPR cotton breeding programs includes screening trials to identify differences in TPB feeding preferences among different cotton cultivars. Plant bugs (Figure 1) use the process of extra-oral digestion to feed on cotton tissues, which is known as solid-to-liquid feeding [1]. Cotton host plants have nutrient rich solid plant parts, especially meristematic cells, floral tissues and fruit, which provide food resources for this insect. Small cotton squares (
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