Supplemental Nitrogen Fertilization of Containerized Azalea Does Not Affect Performance of Azalea Lace Bug (Heteroptera: Tingidae)

Abstract

Certain arthropods feed selectively and perform better on plants and plant tissues with elevated levels of nitrogen. The link between elevated nitrogen levels and improved performance is particularly strong for insects in the order Heteroptera, many of which are phloem feeders. We examined the relationship between insect performance and host plant nitrogen levels using azaleas, Rhododendron sp., and azalea lace bug, Stephanitis pyrioides (Scott), a mesophyll-feeding Heteropteran. The objective of this study was to determine if this insect responded to supplemental nitrogen fertilization in ways similar to many of the phloem-feeding Heteroptera and mesophyll-feeding Acarina. Numerous studies have documented improved performance and increased host plant injury in these 2 groups as a result of supplemental nitrogen fertilization. Measurements of azalea lace bug survivorship, development time, age to 1st reproduction, and clutch size showed no significant relationship to levels of fertilization. It appears that this mesophyll-feeding insect does not benefit from elevated levels of foliar nitrogen associated with supplemental fertilization.