Abstract
The plant bugs Apolygus spinolae (Meyer-Dür) and Apolygus lucorum (Meyer-Dür) (Heteroptera: Miridae) are well-known as economically important pests of various agricultural crops in quite a few parts of the Palearctic Region. These two species are difficult to distinguish from one another due to their similar appearances. Earlier studies revealed that the two species can be easily separated by species-specific sex pheromone composition. Segments of two mitochondrial genes, large ribosomal RNA subunit (16S) and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), were compared between A. spinolae and A. lucorum female adults that had been identified by analyzing the pheromone composition. Based on the DNA sequence differences between the two species, molecular diagnostic markers using PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) were developed. This rapid and accurate method was successfully applied to verify the species identification of male adults caught by pheromone traps and of nymphs collected from various host plants. These molecular markers and diagnostic methods could provide a useful tool for the identification of these sibling species and further contribute to the development of rational pest management strategies.
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