Phenological Growth Research Articles

Different Post-Sowing Nitrogen Management Approaches Required to Improve Nitrogen and Water Use Efficiency of Canola and Mustard.

Strategic use of nitrogen (N) may improve N use efficiency, but there is limited information on the influence of N supply at crucial growth stages on N accumulation, water use, and water use efficiency of canola and mustard. In this study, we hypothesize that genetic variation among canola and mustard can alter the response of timing and rate of post-sowing N application at targeted phenological growth stages by improving N and water use and their efficiencies. Field experiments were conducted in South Australia during two growing seasons with contrasting water availabilities. Two mustard and four canola cultivars, including two triazine tolerant (TT) and two non-TT cultivars were evaluated under different post-sowing N application strategies comprising three N rates and different timings of application. Mustard used more water than canola in the season with higher rainfall, but canola and mustard used similar amounts of water in the drier season. Nitrogen increased the water use efficiency (WUE) of canola and mustard cultivars. Nitrogen rate and timing did not influence the total water use of canola and mustard but influenced the partitioning of pre- and post-flowering water use. Even though, highest N uptake was observed in the treatment with continuous supply of N with 200 kg N ha−1 in five splits it did not influence the N efficiencies parameters which indicate that yield of canola and mustard are limited by N rate in these environments. In treatment with limited N supply, targeting N at the rosette stage improve N use efficiency of canola and mustard. However, the limited N uptake potential of mustard makes timing of N application the most important consideration whereas correct N rate should be main consideration for canola.

Seed dormancy and germination of Epimedium koreanum Nakai

Epimedium species are shade-tolerant perennials with flowers and leaves that vary in color, making them valuable groundcover plants. We investigated the dormancy of E. koreanum seeds and their requirements for embryo growth and germination. First, the phenology of embryo growth, germination, and seedling emergence under field conditions were observed. Then, the effects of temperature sequences and gibberellic acid (GA3) treatment on dormancy and germination were evaluated in two laboratory experiments. Under field conditions, the underdeveloped embryos grew very little from June to early September, while rapid growth of the embryos was observed from late September to November. Embryo growth was completed by early December, resulting of 16-fold increase of the initial length of the embryo. The seeds had germinated in March of the following year, and the germination percentage reached 84.4 %. In the laboratory experiments, embryos hardly grew when the seeds were incubated at a constant temperature of 20 or 15 °C. When the seeds were warm stratified at 25 °C and then moved to lower temperatures of 20 and 15 °C, the embryo grew rapidly. Germination then occurred after cold stratification at 5 °C for 12 weeks. However, if seeds were subjected to cold stratification first, the embryo did not grow, and no seeds germinated. GA3 treatment increased embryo growth in the seeds, but few seeds germinated less than 10 %. Based on these results, seed dormancy of E. koreanum can be broken through warm followed by cold stratification. Therefore, the seeds can be classified as having deep simple morphophysiological dormancy. This is the first report of the ecophysiology of seed dormancy and germination in the genus Epimedium in the Korean peninsula.

Growth development and structural changes of Malaysian jackfruit cv. Tekam Yellow syncarp

Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) that belongs to the family Moraceae is an important fruit crop in Malaysia. The planting acreage of jackfruit especially cv. Tekam Yellow has increased by 17.08 % from 2014 until 2018. Jackfruit is highly nutritional with rich phytochemical composition where the flesh and seeds are used as a cooling tonic and as a remedy for overcoming the influence of alcohol in the body. The dietary fibres in jackfruit protect the colon mucous membrane by binding to and eliminating cancer causing chemicals from the colon. Despite the importance of jackfruit to human dietary, little is known about the growth and structural changes during the inflorescence and syncarp development of jackfruit. The study was conducted at a jackfruit commercial farm in Bukit Beruntung (latitude 3°25′32.7432 N; longitude 101°33′21.0240 E), Selangor, Malaysia from January to December 2017. A total of 120 inflorescences and 64 syncarps were used in this study with a randomized complete block design. The earliest phase of the inflorescence involves the development of the ovary and decision to abort or to proceed with further cell division and fruit development, known as syncarp set. In the second phase, the growth of syncarp involves primarily cell division. The third phase begins after cell division ceases. During this phase, syncarp growth continues, mostly by cell expansion, until the syncarp reaches its final size. This growth phase is more prominent and physiologically most significant because of the strong sink activity exerted by the expanding cells. Each stage of syncarp development is marked differently by its cellular activities. A comprehensive study on the phenology growth stage of jackfruit has been published by Kishore (2018). However, the study on growth stage and changes in the cellular structure of jackfruit has yet to be published. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine growth stages and structural changes in the inflorescence and syncarp development of jackfruit cv. Tekam Yellow. Knowledge of cellular structure changes during the syncarp development is crucial especially for growers to apply proper cultivation practices at different growth stages according to industrial demands for optimum yields and profits.

Variation in phenolic compounds, α-linolenic acid and linoleic acid contents and antioxidant activity of purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) during phenological growth stages.

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) contains a variety of natural products with different biological properties. The objective of this research was to estimate changes in total phenolics, flavonoids, and fatty acids (α-linolenic acid and linoleic acid) contents as well as antioxidant activity of P. oleracea at different growth stages. Seeds were germinated in soil-filled plastic pots at greenhouse. Leaves and stems were collected at the vegetative and flowering stages. Total phenol and flavonoid contents of the samples were determined by Folin-Ciocalteau and aluminum chloride methods, respectively. The contents of α-linolenic and linoleic acids were determined using gas chromatography analysis after transesterification of fatty acids. Furthermore, Ferric reducing antioxidant power and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl assays were used to determine the antioxidant activities. The highest contents of total phenols (698.6mg GAE 100g-1 DW), flavonoids (46.9mg QE 100g-1 DW), α-linolenic acid (2.7mgg-1 DW) and linoleic acid (0.8mgg-1 DW) were determined in the leaves at flowering stage. Free radical scavenging capacity was significantly affected (P ≤ 0.05) by age; and the leaves of purslane had more antioxidant potential compared to stems. A positive correlation was observed between the antioxidant activities and total phenols content. Overall, purslane leaves at flowering stage can be regarded as a valuable source of fatty acids (especially α-linolenic acid) and antioxidants in human diet.

Developing effective management solutions for controlling stinking passionflower (Passiflora foetida) and promoting the recovery of native biodiversity in Northern Australia

Invasive alien plants pose a growing threat to native biodiversity and are a burden to local livelihoods through their impacts on cultural values, agriculture, farming and tourism. A prime example of this is stinking passionflower (Passiflora foetida), a herbaceous vine that has invaded across the global tropics, including vast tracts of remote northern Australia. Yet despite its ubiquity in the landscape and growing concerns about its impacts on native biodiversity, surprisingly little is known about how to effectively control stinking passionflower. To address this knowledge gap, we established an 18 month long field experiment in the semi-arid Pilbara region of Western Australia to (i) understand seasonal variation in the growth phenology of stinking passionflower and identify optimal time windows for management; (ii) compare the effectiveness of different methods for controlling stinking passionflower, including both physical removal and chemical treatments; and (iii) understand the knock-on implications of these treatments for the recruitment of new cohorts of stinking passionflower seedlings and the recovery of native plant species. We found that biomass growth was tightly coupled with rainfall events, which are largely unpredictable in the study region. We also found substantial differences in the effectiveness of the different control treatments we trialled, with glyphosate foliar spray proving highly effective while plants recovered quickly following stem cutting. However, the application of glyphosate foliar spray without the removal of the dead biomass resulted in the rapid regeneration of stinking passionflower seedlings, whereas native plant species largely failed to recover.

Mid-Term Impact of Climate Change on Hazelnut Yield

The impacts of climate change on hazelnut production in Turkey—the world’s largest producer and exporter—may significantly affect the global hazelnut market depending on production and yield change. In this paper, based on gridded climate data with a 10-km horizontal resolution from regional climate model RegCM4.4 under the RCP8.5 business-as-usual scenario, multiple regression analysis was conducted to investigate yield change for the period of 2021–2050. We examined a total of 88 different locations and three phenological growth stages. We observed that hazelnut yield exhibits considerable variability depending on the phenological and sub-regional and the microclimate conditions in the humid-temperate Black Sea and the semi-humid Marmara regions. Until the middle of the century, we project that hazelnut yield will decrease up to 13% in approximately half of the current production areas. In addition, the fact that the majority of the decreases will be observed in the eastern Black Sea sub-region will cause hazelnut quality to be adversely affected. These findings are highly relevant in the context of regional development and trade in Turkey, and hazelnut processing and manufacturing sectors abroad.

Field trial evidence of non-transgenic and transgenic Bt. rice genotypes in north of Iran

BackgroundField-testing genetically modified crops provides scientists with an opportunity to collect information on environmental interactions and agronomic performance, which is critical to a full environmental safety assessment as required by regulatory authorities. As a result, the goal of this research was field trial of transgenic and conventional rice genotypes. The experiment was carried out in a randomized complete blocks design (RCBD) with four replications and seven genotypes in three isolated regions under the biosafety standard protocol in north of Iran in 2016. In this study, four transgenic lines with an active cry1Ab gene in the vegetative stage and three conventional genotypes (control) as treatment were assessed. ResultsThe findings demonstrated that in all three regions, transgenic lines derived from Khazar cultivar, were similar to their parent(s) in terms of growth phenology, agronomical traits, grain amylose content, gel consistency, and gelatinization temperature. In all the three regions, the highest number of panicle per m2, number of filled spikelet per panicle, and filled spikelet percentage per panicle were obtained for transgenic lines. Khazar cultivar compared to the transgenic lines showed lower paddy yield. In all the three regions, transgenic lines had lower yield loss than their non-transgenic parent. The lowest number of white heads belonged to transgenic Tarom Molaii and transgenic lines. The most positive direct effect on paddy yield was related to the number of filled spikelet per panicle. Thus, this can be a good trait to achieve higher yield derived from reducing the negative indirect effect of dead heart and white heads. ConclusionIt can be concluded that by producing transgenic rice, which is resistant to stem borer with an active promoter in the reproductive stage, farmers can reduce significant part of yield loss resulting from dead heart and white heads directly correlating with the number of filled spikelet per panicle and paddy yield.

SMART FARMING- PRECISION AGRICULTURE TECHNOLOGIES AND PRACTICES

According to the current increase rate of the world population it is expected to reach 10 billion people in 2050. In addition, agricultural production area and agricultural labor force is constantly decreasing with the migration of rural population to the city with the use of agricultural areas for residential and industrial purposes. Therefore, it is a necessity to develop and disseminate systematic and efficient production techniques that will provide sufficient nutrition for humanity. The agricultural sector also benefits greatly from what Industry 4.0 brings. IoT (Internet of Things), AI (Artificial Intelligence), Remote Sensing & ImP (Remote Sensing and Image Processing) techniques have been integrated with GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and have been actively used in agriculture in recent years. In addition to the soil characteristic and meteorological data collected by sensors, high resolution multi-band images taken from satellite systems and unmanned aerial vehicles are transferred to decision support platforms and artificial intelligence support can be used to determine the stress factors of crops and propose instant solution alternatives. Within the scope of this paper, in a study carried out by HEKTAŞ R & D Center which develops innovation projects in the agricultural sector with the motto of “Pioneer of smart agriculture” general information will be given on the practical use of some of the above mentioned precision agricultural techniques during phenological growth stages of the wheat in Thrace region.

Dynamics of Global Gene Expression and Regulatory Elements in Growing Brachypodium Root System

Root systems are dynamic and adaptable organs that play critical roles in plant development. However, how roots grow and accumulate biomass during plant life cycle and in relation to shoot growth phenology remains understudied. A comprehensive time-dependent root morphological analysis integrated with molecular signatures is then required to advance our understanding of root growth and development. Here we studied Brachypodium distachyon rooting process by monitoring root morphology, biomass production, and C/N ratios during developmental stages. To provide insight into gene regulation that accompanies root growth, we generated comprehensive transcript profiles of Brachypodium whole-root system at four developmental stages. Our data analysis revealed that multiple biological processes including trehalose metabolism and various families of transcription factors (TFs) were differentially expressed in root system during plant development. In particular, the AUX/IAA, ERFs, WRKY, NAC, and MADS TF family members were upregulated as plant entered the booting/heading stage, while ARFs and GRFs were downregulated suggesting these TF families as important factors involved in specific phases of rooting, and possibly in regulation of transition to plant reproductive stages. We identified several Brachypodium candidate root biomass-promoting genes and cis-regulatory elements for further functional validations and root growth improvements in grasses.

Оцінка потенціалу урожайності мутантних ліній салату посівного листкового за різних кліматичних умов вирощування

Оцінка потенціалу урожайності мутантних ліній салату посівного листкового за різних кліматичних умов вирощування

Parasitoid associated with Liriomyza huidobrensis (Diptera: Agromyzidae) outbreaks in tomato fields in Brazil

Abstract The knowledge of natural factors that affect pest populations is essential in predicting the occurrence of pest outbreaks and in developing integrated pest management programmes. Natural enemies, climatic elements and host plants are among the most important factors affecting pest dynamics. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is the second most consumed vegetable worldwide. The pea leaf miner Liriomyza huidobrensis (Diptera: Agromyzidae) is a major pest to the tomato in Brazil. This study aimed to determine the main natural factors that regulate L. huidobrensis populations in tomato fields in Brazil. Liriomyza huidobrensis densities were evaluated by directly counting the number of active mines on the basal leaf of the middle section of the plant canopy, and predators and parasitoids were assessed using the leaf‐beating‐against‐a‐tray technique. Eight commercial tomato fields were assessed over two years. The phenological growth stages of the tomato plants (vegetative and reproductive) were noted during the assessments. Liriomyza huidobrensis populations peaked between the middle and end of the planting season. Opius sp. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) was the main natural enemy of L. huidobrensis. Our results suggest that phenological growth stage and Opius sp. are associated with population dynamics of L. huidobrensis in tomato fields. Therefore, integrated pest management programmes should aim to preserve populations of the parasitoid Opius sp.

Growth phenology and water potential patterns of Periploca angustifolia in relation to water availability

AbstractPeriploca angustifoliaLabill., is a multipurpose shrub also used to rehabilitate drylands. It is essential to understand its phenological patterns under arid conditions. In order to understand how plants manage extreme drought, this study investigates the relationship between phenological traits of P. angustifolia Labill., water potential and climatic conditions. During two successive growing seasons (Sep 2009–Augst 2011) phenological patterns, soil water content and water potentials were measured monthly for plants of Periploca angustifoliaLabill growing under rain‐fed conditions (Annual rainfall = 168 mm) at the pastoretum of the Arid Regions Institute in southern Tunisia. The Ψmd decreased progressively and concomitantly with increasing seasonal drought, reaching the lowest values in late summer (down to –3 MPa). Water potentials of P. angustifoliaLabill were affected by spatial and temporal variations in soil water content. The increased diurnal amplitude values (∆ψ > −1.3 MPa) explained the especially high biological activity of this species during the dry season. Our results clearly demonstrate that P. angustifolia Labill is a drought‐tolerant species reaching low water potentials during the driest months of summer. These characteristics make this shrub as promising for rehabilitating degraded arid ecosystems.

Estimation of cotton Car/Chla ratio by hyperspectral vegetation indices and partial least square regression

<p indent=0mm>Estimating the ratio between carotenoid to chlorophyll <italic>a</italic> (Car/Chla) provides an additional avenue for the assessment of physiology and phenology of plant growth and development. With the aim of assessing cotton Car/Chla ratio from hyperspectral reflectance, a wide range of carotenoid (Car) and chlorophyll <italic>a</italic> concentrations, and leaf and canopy reflectance at cotton different growth stages were measured. The performance of a variety of Car/Chla ratio related vegetation indices and partial least square regression (PLSR) for Car/Chla ratio and Car estimation were tested. Among all tested vegetation indices, PRI (Photochemical Reflectance Index) and linear PRI models had the most significant correlations with Car/Chla ratio and Car, and could accurately estimate, Car/Chla ratio (<italic>R</italic>²_{leaf level} = 0.69 and <italic>R</italic>²_{canopy level} = 0.67) and Car concentration (<italic>R</italic>²_{leaf level} = 0.44 and<italic> R</italic>²_{canopy level} = 0.36). The best estimation of the Car/Chla ratio and Car was provided by PLSR models with <italic>R</italic>² > 0.80 between the estimated and measured value for Car/Chla ratio and <italic>R</italic>² <italic>= </italic>0.74 for Car. Both reflectance indices and PLSR method were more successful for the estimation of Car/Chla ratio than for that of Car concentration, indicating the promising potential of Car/Chla ratio as a powerful indicator using for plant status monitoring by remote sensing. Besides, accuracy test of models using validation dataset highlighted the remarkable performance of PLSR for Car/Chla (<italic>R</italic>²_{leaf level} = 0.87 and <italic>R</italic>²_{canopy level} = 0.84) and Car (<italic>R</italic>²_{leaf level} = 0.73 and<italic> R</italic>²_{canopy level} = 0.74) estimated by hyperspectral reflectance at both the leaf and canopy levels. The results further prove the remarkable performance of hyperspectral reflectance for the estimation of Car/Chla ratio, and enrich the parameters for monitoring high temperature stress, water deficit stress, and nutrient stress and pest diseases by remote sensing in cotton.

N:K RATIO FOR PHENOLOGICAL GROWTH STAGES OF NET MELON CULTIVATED IN NFT HYDROPONIC SYSTEM1

ABSTRACT The adequate ratio in the supply of nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) for each phenological growth stage of melon is fundamental for its growth and development with the maximization of the dry mass partition between the vegetative and reproductive parts. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of N and K concentrations in two phenological growth stages (vegetative and reproductive stage) of melon and obtain the best N:K ratio for each one. In the first stage, four concentrations of N (8, 11, 14 and 17 mmol L-1) and two concentrations of K (4 and 5 mmol L-1) were evaluated in a randomized block design in a 4 × 2 factorial scheme with five replicates. In the second stage, in a 2 × 2 factorial scheme, the combinations of the two concentrations of N that generated the best characteristics in the previous stage and two concentrations of K (4.5 and 9.0 mmol L-1) were evaluated. The increase of the N concentration in the vegetative stage promoted the increase of the N, P and S content of leaves and the reduction of K, Ca and Mg. Moreover, it increased the number of leaves, the height of the plant (vertically tutored) and the leaf area. Therefore, 17:5 mmol L-1 was considered as the best N:K ratio for the vegetative stage. In the second stage, there was no effect of N and K concentrations on leaf area, yield and fruit quality. So, 14:4.5 mmol L-1 was considered as the best N:K ratio for the reproductive stage.

Thermal sum and phenological descriptions of growth stages of the common bean according to the BBCH scale

AbstractThe common bean, Phaseolus vulgaris L., is a legume of economic and food importance in tropical and subtropical countries. Thus, the objective of this study was to define the phenological growth stages of common beans according to the Bundesanstalt Bundessortenamt und Chemische Industrie (BBCH) scale, as well as the degree days, to optimise common bean management practices in accordance with the plant phenology. All phenological stages, including germination, foliar development, side shoots formation, stem elongation, inflorescence emergence, flowering, pod development and plant senescence, were evaluated using the BBCH scale. The descriptions of the phenological stages, combined with illustrations, and the sum of degree days during the crop cycle improve our understanding of these phenological stages. The identification of the vegetative and reproductive stages of the common bean facilitates improved management of the crop under different environmental conditions, taking thermal accumulation into consideration.

Synchronous and asynchronous root and shoot phenology in temperate woody seedlings

Understanding variation in root and shoot growth phenology among species is crucial to understanding underlying mechanisms of temporal niche differentiation. However, little is known about the relationship between root and shoot phenology, or how this relationship varies among functional traits. We examined fine root and shoot phenology of 42 seedlings representing a variety of woody species that inhabit the cool temperate forests of northern Japan. Some aspects of phenology were common to the pool of species examined: we found positive relationships between root and shoot phenology for the end of growth, and for the duration of growth, but not for the start of growth. Further, seedlings that started root growth relatively early also ended root growth relatively late. Other aspects of phenology varied predictably with functional traits, i.e. leaf habit and successional status: first, root growth in evergreen species started significantly earlier and ended later than in deciduous species; second, early successional species had the longest duration of shoot growth among all successional types. Our results suggest that niche differentiation may be promoted by differences in phenology between root and shoots, likely contributing to the co‐existence of woody seedlings in temperate forests.

Arsenic Distribution, Accumulation and Tolerance Mechanisms of Typha angustifolia in Different Phenological Growth Stages.

Variations of phytoaccumulation and tolerance in different growth stages of plant are important factors for effective removal of pollutants in phytoremediation. The present work investigated arsenic (As) accumulation, As-tolerance and the physiological tolerance mechanisms of Typha angustifolia under different As-level during the seedling, fast-growing and breeding stages. The results showed that As mainly distributed in the underground part and total As accumulation increased with growth stages. Maximum growth rates under lower As occurred in seedling stage, whereas occurred in breeding stage under higher As. T. angustifolia exhibited the highest tolerance ability under 150 mg kg-1 As and tolerance index (TI) varied from seedling to breeding stages. During seedling stage, TI was affected by plant height (Hshoot) and net photosynthesis, which control biomass production. During fast-growing stage, Hshoot and root glutathione (GSH) co-regulated plant As-tolerance. During breeding stage, physiological metabolic processes, especially GSH-mediated processes, played a critical role in improving plant As-tolerance.

Comparison of phenological traits, growth patterns, and seasonal dynamics of non-structural carbohydrate in Mediterranean tree crop species

Despite non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) importance for tree productivity and resilience, little is known about their seasonal regulations and trade-off with growth and reproduction. We characterize the seasonal dynamics of NSC in relation to the aboveground phenology and temporal growth patterns of three deciduous Mediterranean species: almond (Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D. A. Webb), walnut (Juglans regia L.) and pistachio (Pistacia vera L.). Seasonal dynamics of NSC were synchronous between wood tissues from trunk, branches and twigs. Almond had almost identical levels and patterns of NSC variation in twigs, branches and trunks whereas pistachio and walnut exhibited clear concentration differences among plant parts whereby twigs had the highest and most variable NSC concentration, followed by branches and then trunk. While phenology had a significant influence on NSC seasonal trends, there was no clear trade-off between NSC storage and growth suggesting that both were similarly strong sinks for NSC. A temporal trade-off observed at the seasonal scale was influenced by the phenology of the species. We propose that late senescing species experience C allocation trade-off at the end of the growing season because of C-limiting thermal conditions and priority allocation to storage in order to survive winter.

Climate responses of ring widths and radial growth phenology of Betula ermanii, Fagus crenata and Quercus crispula in a cool temperate forest in central Japan

Climate responses of radial growth of major hardwood species growing in a cool temperate forest in Japan were clarified by dendrochronological analysis combining the phenology observation of radial growth. To better understand which climate factors limit the radial growth of major hardwood species growing in a cool temperate forest in Japan, we clarified the phenology of radial growth and developed ring width residual chronologies for Betula ermanii, Fagus crenata and Quercus crispula at Takayama, an LTER research site located in central Japan. We inspected stem tissue for division of cambial cells in the early stage of wood formation and examined the cumulative radial growth by the wounding method. The onset of cambial cell division in Q. crispula was observed to be about 2 weeks earlier than in the other species. Wood formation in the final part of the tree ring occurred approximately 1 month earlier in B. ermanii than in the other species. The correlation analysis was performed between chronologies and moving averages of 31-day climate data with a 1-day lag. The periods which revealed significant correlations with climate factors were categorized into the previous growing season, previous autumn, just before the current growing season and current growing season according to their characteristic responses and the phenology of wood formation and leaves. The negative correlations between ring width of all the species and mean and minimum temperatures of previous year’s autumn, when the growth ending of ring width and leaf coloring occurred, suggested that temperature may have affected the respiration rate and/or prolonged the start of leaf fall, resulting in variations of radial growth through the consumption of photosynthetic products. On the other hand, different responses to climate were observed among species during the other phenological periods.

Laboratory Assessment of Host Plant Selection of the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (&amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Halyomorpha halys&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt;)

The behavioral response of brown marmorated stink bug, <i>Halyomorpha halys</i> (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), to various phenological growth stages (leaf, flower and pod/seed/kernel) of six host plants (soybean, corn, sunflower, Early Scarlet and Mississippi Silver cowpeas, and princess tree leaf) was investigated in a Dual Choice Arena Test (DCAT) and Multiple Choice Arena Test (MCAT). In DCAT, each experiment consisted of one of the growth stages of each plant with princess tree leaf as the standard. In MCAT, two experiments were conducted using: (1) similar growth stages from the different plants and (2) different growth stages from the same plant. <i>Halyomorpha halys</i> distribution was observed at time intervals up to 24 hours after insects were released. Results from MCAT and Preference Index (PI) from the DCAT indicated that more <i>H. halys</i> were recorded on princess tree leaves. Mississippi Silver (PI=1.59±0.05) and Early Scarlet (PI=1.49±0.08) flowers were preferred over princess tree leaves and other flowers (PI≤1). Sunflower seed was the least preferred (PI=0.43±0.18) among similar growth stages. Overall, the reproductive stages were preferred over the vegetative stage. Our findings can be useful in developing management programs such as trap cropping for this pest.