Leersia hexandra, a weed host of the rice brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stål)

Abstract

A population of the rice brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) (Homoptera: Delphacidae), was abundant on a weed, Leersia hexandra, growing in irrigation canals near rice fields in the Philippines. When individuals of this population were placed on rice, Oryza sativa, feeding was low and they could not survive. Conversely, L. hexandra was not a host for the N. lugens population maintained on rice. Although the two N. lugens populations differed in feeding behaviour, under ‘no choice’ conditions in the greenhouse they interbred and produced progeny which could utilize both L. hexandra and O. sativa as a host. The Leersia population is important in the management of N. lugens on rice as it is attacked by the same predators, parasites and pathogens as the rice population.