Abstract

Paromius exiguus (Distant) has caused serious damage by pecky grains around Gimpo paddy fields in 2001. We conducted field and laboratory studies to determine the seasonal occurrence and age distribution of P. exiguus on the three major host plants. The overwintering P. exiguus was found mainly on the basal part of gramineae weeds in various localities. After overwintering, in mid-May, the adults aggregated on the grain parts of Imperata cylindrica, laid their eggs and nymphs developed into adults on the same host plants. By the time, the Calamagrostis epigeios colony had newly occupied I. cylindrica areas, the nymphs and adults of first generation had already moved to the second host. The second generation of P. exiguus, after having completed its life cycle on C. epigeios, the newly emerged adults migrated to the rice plants and other gramineae weeds in early August. Afterwards, they complete its third generation cycle where they can move to the overwintering site again. P. exiguus has the five nymphal stages and each nymphal stage could be determined by head or prothoracic width. On the I. cylindrica and O. sativa hosts, the age distribution of P. exiguus showed a simple structure as each stage ratio increased stepwise with time. But in case of C. epigeios, as the newly emerged adults and immature nymphs continuously migrate after a month from the I. cylindrica, the age structure became remarkably complex. The peak nymphal density was observed when the ratio of third and forth instar was the highest in the population. The finding about the specific age structure on each generation of the insect would be very useful in control decision making on the major host plants. It is also important to consider the host`s specificity to pesticide sensitivity in relation to various nymphal stages.

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