Plant Reproductive Organs Research Articles

Antitumor Effect of the Synthesized Chalcone Analogues on HeLa Cell Line

Abstract Chalcones represent a type of flavonoids which are located at vegetative and reproductive organs of plants and they can be metabolic progenitor molecules for several flavonoids and isoflavonoids. Many studies indicated that molecular structure of chalcone accountable for their anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects. The aim of our research was to investigate anti-tumor effect and mechanism of action of three synthesized chalcone analogues on HeLa cells. The anti-tumor effectiveness of chalcone analogues was compared to effects of the dehydrozingerone and cisplatin that were used as referent substances. The viability of the treated cells was evaluated using MTT assay. Evaluation of cell death was determined by flow cytometry and cells were stained with Annexin V-FITC/7-AAD. The result of our research indicated that used chalcones have stronger antitumor effect relative to the dehydrozingerone and cisplatin. The IC50 values of the chalcones ranged between 1.69-6.18 μM, with CH1 being more cytotoxic after 24 h of treatment, while CH3 being more cytotoxic after 48 h of treatment on HeLa cells. All investigated chalcones induced apoptosis in HeLa cells via mitochondrial pathway, which was detected expression Bax and Bcl- 2 proteins. Our results provided evidence that chalcones induced apoptosis in HeLa cervical carcinoma through the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. These findings provide insights into the molecular mechanism of chalcones-induced cell death.

Feeding preference of Helicoverpa armigera larvae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on vegetative and reproductive organs of soybean plants

Helicoverpa armigera is a pest insect with a large dispersal range, a high degree of polyphagy in the larval stage, and of difficult control. The pest's ability to survive due to the availability of food and persist in grain production systems present in several Brazilian regions allows it to infest a wide range of crops, including soybeans and invasive plants during the off-season. There is general knowledge that the larva prefers to feed on plant reproductive organs, but it is unknown if this is true for soybeans, a crop to which it is adapting following its recent recognition as a pest. Basic knowledge of herbivore feeding behavior is necessary to support control within the integrated pest management philosophy. The purpose of this study was to examine the preference behavior of H. armigera larvae in their first, fourth, and sixth instars for vegetative and reproductive organs of soybean plants. It is concluded that the larvae, regardless of instar, feed on all available vegetative and reproductive organs, but they have preferences based on their current developmental stage.

Cleistogamous spike and chasmogamous spike carbon remobilization improve the seed potential yield of Cleistogenes songorica under water stress

AbstractDevelopmental signals and environmental stresses regulate carbon distribution in the vegetative and reproductive organs of plants and affect seed yield. Cleistogenes songorica is a xerophytic grass with great potential application value in ecological restoration. However, how carbohydrate transport and distribution during grain filling affect the seed yield of C. songorica under water stress is not clear. The present study showed that the soluble sugar and starch contents of cleistogamous (CL) spikes and chasmogamous (CH) spikes were significantly higher at the milk stage, which was attributed to a significantly higher seed number and seed yield per spike under water stress conditions than under well-watered conditions (P < 0.01). RNA-seq data revealed a total of 54,525 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) under water stress conditions, but only 3744 DEGs were shared among all comparison groups. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis showed that the transport and distribution of carbohydrates were regulated by ABA-responsive genes (CsABA8OX1_1, CsABA8OX1_2, CsABA8OX2_1, CsABA8OX2_2, CsNCED3, CsNCED1_1, CsNCED1_2 and CsNCED4_1) and sugar transport and starch synthesis genes (CsSUS1, CsSUS2, CsSUS3, CsAGP1, CsAGP4, CsAGP5, CsSSS1 and CsSBE5) under water stress conditions. These genes jointly regulated carbohydrate remobilization in sources (stems, leaves and sheaths) to promote grain filling and improve seed yield. The present study helped to clarify the phenotypic, metabolic and transcriptional response mechanisms of vegetative organs, such as stems and leaves, and reproductive organs, such as CL spikes and CH spikes, to promote carbohydrate redistribution under water stress, and it provides theoretical guidance for improving seed yields.

Notes on the Newly Identified Asperula cankiriense B. Şahin & Sağıroğlu (Rubiaceae) from Turkey Based on a Light and Scanning Electron Microscopic Study.

Micromorphological features of vegetative and reproductive organs in plants are considered important because they can be used as taxonomic characters. Asperula cankiriense B. Şahin & Sağıroğlu, commonly known as “Çankırı belumu”, belongs to the family Rubiaceae and generally occurs in gypsum steppes. This research reports for the first time the micromorphological characteristics of the vegetative and reproductive organs of A. cankiriense using light and scanning electron microscopy. Taxonomically critical diagnostic features, such as raphide crystals, presence and shape of trichomes, leaf cross-section shape, flower structure, and epidermal ornamentation, were described in detail. This study provided up-to-date information on the micromorphology of this newly described species and provided additional systematic information on A. cankiriense. New data about the species are reported here and will contribute to the knowledge about the family Rubiaceae.

Auxin Response Factors Are Ubiquitous in Plant Growth and Development, and Involved in Crosstalk between Plant Hormones: A Review

Auxin response factors (ARFs) are an important family of transcription factors involved in the exertion of auxin in plants and play a key role in regulating the growth and development of plant nutritional and reproductive organs such as roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds. Foods of plant origin occupy an important place in the nutritional structure of the human diet, and the main edible parts of different plants vary. In this paper, we review recent research reports on ARFs and summarize its role in the regulation of leaf, flower, root, and fruit growth, as well as other important life activities. We also present the challenges and opportunities that ARFs will present in the future. It will be important to deepen our understanding of the mechanisms by which ARFs interact with other proteins or genes. In addition, it is worth considering that more technical tools should be put into the study of ARFs and that the research should be oriented towards solving practical problems. In the future, it is expected that the nutrition and function of plant-derived foods can be improved through gene editing and other means.

Organic Liquid Fertilizer Coupled With Single Application of Chemical Fertilization Improves Growth, Biomass, and Yield Components of Cotton Under Mulch Drip Irrigation.

Excessive fertilization, low nutrient utilization rate, and continuous deterioration of cotton field environment have adversely affected the sustainable development of cotton in Xinjiang province of China. To overcome these issues, we hypothesized that an appropriate combination of liquid organic fertilizer and chemical fertilizer (CF) would effectively reduce the input of CF without sacrificing the quality and yield of cotton. A 2-year field experiment explores the effects of three fertilization treatments on the growth, biomass accumulation, and yield of cotton. The three fertilization treatments, namely, no application of fertilizer (CK), the single application of CF, and the combined application of organic liquid fertilizer and CF (F0.6–F1.4), were set up in five ratios. Compared with CF treatment, the combined application of organic liquid fertilizer and CF treatments (F0.6–F1.2) speeded the growth period of cotton by 2–7 days with increased plant height, stem diameter, functional leaf width, and more number of branches, with 9.7–23.5 and 8.4–28.5% higher total plant biomass (TPB) and reproductive organs biomass (ROB), respectively. Compared with CF treatment, the rapid growth duration and maximum accumulation rate of reproductive organs were the highest in F0.8 treatment, with an average increase of 4.6 days and 20.3%. Increment in biomass accumulation contributed to an average increase of 21.8 and 18.9% in cotton boll number and yield, respectively, under F0.8 treatment. Principal component analysis shows that the total biomass, ROB, and total bolls per unit area were positively correlated with the yield, while stem diameter and vegetative organ biomass are negatively correlated with the yield. In conclusion, under film mulching with drip irrigation, organic liquid fertilizer combined with CF reduced by 20% (F0.8 treatment: N, P2O5, and K2O were 182, 104, and 76 kg hm–2, respectively) can sustain the normal growth, promote the accumulation rate of ROB, and lead to efficient cotton production.

CRISPR/Cas9-targeted mutagenesis of SlCMT4 causes changes in plant architecture and reproductive organs in tomato.

DNA methylation participates widely in the regulation of gene expression in plants. To date, the regulation and function of DNA methylation is still unknown in tomato plants. Here, we generated SlCMT4 mutants using the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system. We observed severe developmental defects in CRISPR-Cas9-mediated SlCMT4 mutants, including small and thick leaves, increased lateral buds, defective stamens and pistils, small fruit size with reduced setting rate, and defective seed development. The alterations at hormonal levels (IAA, tZR, strigol) were consistent with the multibranching phenotype in SlCMT4 mutant plants. CRISPR-Cas9-mediated knockout of SlCMT4 induced the expression of two pollen-specific genes (PMEI and PRALF) that suppressed the development of pollen wall and pollen tube elongation, which is responsible for irregular and defective pollen. The small-sized fruit phenotype is probably associated with upregulated expression of the IMA gene and reduced seeds in the mutant lines. Furthermore, we performed whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) of fruits and found that SlCMT4 knockout reduced genome-wide cytosine methylation. A reduction of methylation was also observed in a 2-kp region of the IMA and LOXB promoters in the SlCMT4-mutant fruits, indicating that the hypermethylation status of the CHH context is critical for the inhibition of IMA and LOXB promoter activity. Our results show that SlCMT4 is required for normal development of tomato vegetative and reproductive organs. This study illuminates the function of SlCMT4 and sheds light on the molecular regulatory mechanism of tomato plant architecture and fruit development and ripening.

Study of the ecology of the Tephritidae family (Insecta: Diptera)

Fruit flies belong to the Tephritidae Family which is one of the largest within the Order Diptera. This family is among the pests with the greatest economic expression in the world's fruit industry, as they attack the reproductive organs of plants, fruits with pulp and flowers. These insects are an important group of pests in the fruit industry worldwide, as they have a life cycle in which their larval period develops especially inside the fruits, feeding, in general, on their pulp. The objective of this study is to report the Ecology and Biology of Tephitidae. The research was carried out in studies related to quantitative aspects of the Family, Subfamily and Species (taxonomic groups) and conceptual aspects such as: biology, geographical distribution, methodologies, and traps for collecting and their parasitoids and strategies for Drosophlidae with control, species, life cycle, damage, economic importance, medicinal importance, biological aspects, monitoring and control and reproduction. A literature search was carried out containing articles published from 1993 to 2021. The mini-review was prepared in Goiânia, Goiás, from September to October 2021, through the. The mini-review was prepared in Goiânia, Goiás, from September to October 2021, through the Online Scientific Library (Scielo), internet, ResearchGate, Academia.edu, Frontiers, Publons, Qeios, Portal of Scientific Journals in Health Sciences, Pubmed, Online Scientific Library (Scielo), internet, ResearchGate, Academia.edu, Frontiers, Biological Abstract, Publons, Qeios, Portal of Scientific Journals in Health Sciences, and Pubmed, Dialnet, World, Wide Science, Springer, RefSeek, Microsoft Academic, Science, ERIC, Science Research.com, SEEK education, Periódicos CAPES, Google Academic, Bioline International and VADLO.

Repressors of anthocyanin biosynthesis.

Anthocyanins play a variety of adaptive roles in both vegetative tissues and reproductive organs of plants. The broad functionality of these compounds requires sophisticated regulation of the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway to allow proper localization, timing, and optimal intensity of pigment deposition. While it is well-established that the committed steps of anthocyanin biosynthesis are activated by a highly conserved MYB-bHLH-WDR (MBW) protein complex in virtually all flowering plants, anthocyanin repression seems to be achieved by a wide variety of protein and small RNA families that function in different tissue types and in response to different developmental, environmental, and hormonal cues. In this review, we survey recent progress in the identification of anthocyanin repressors and the characterization of their molecular mechanisms. We find that these seemingly very different repression modules act through a remarkably similar logic, the so-called 'double-negative logic'. Much of the double-negative regulation of anthocyanin production involves signal-induced degradation or sequestration of the repressors from the MBW protein complex. We discuss the functional and evolutionary advantages of this logic design compared with simple or sequential positive regulation. These advantages provide a plausible explanation as to why plants have evolved so many anthocyanin repressors.

Spatial patterning of scent in petunia corolla is discriminated by bees and involves the ABCG1 transporter.

Floral guides are patterned cues that direct the pollinator to the plant reproductive organs. The spatial distribution of showy visual and olfactory traits allows efficient plant-pollinator interactions. Data on the mechanisms underlying floral volatile patterns or their interactions with pollinators are lacking. Here we characterize the spatial emission patterns of volatiles from the corolla of the model plant Petunia×hybrida and reveal the ability of honeybees to distinguish these patterns. Along the adaxial epidermis, in correlation with cell density, the petal base adjacent to reproductive organs emitted significantly higher levels of volatiles than the distal petal rim. Volatile emission could also be differentiated between the two epidermal surfaces: emission from the adaxial side was significantly higher than that from the abaxial side. Similar emission patterns were also observed in other petunias, Dianthus caryophyllus (carnation) and Argyranthemum frutescens (Marguerite daisy). Analyses of transcripts involved in volatile production/emission revealed lower levels of the plasma-membrane transporter ABCG1 in the abaxial versus adaxial epidermis. Transient overexpression of ABCG1 enhanced emission from the abaxial epidermis to the level of the adaxial epidermis, suggesting its involvement in spatial emission patterns in the epidermal layers. Proboscis extension response experiments showed that differences in emission levels along the adaxial epidermis, that is, petal base versus rim, detected by GC-MS are also discernible by honeybees.

MYB-Mediated Regulation of Anthocyanin Biosynthesis.

Anthocyanins are natural water-soluble pigments that are important in plants because they endow a variety of colors to vegetative tissues and reproductive plant organs, mainly ranging from red to purple and blue. The colors regulated by anthocyanins give plants different visual effects through different biosynthetic pathways that provide pigmentation for flowers, fruits and seeds to attract pollinators and seed dispersers. The biosynthesis of anthocyanins is genetically determined by structural and regulatory genes. MYB (v-myb avian myeloblastosis viral oncogene homolog) proteins are important transcriptional regulators that play important roles in the regulation of plant secondary metabolism. MYB transcription factors (TFs) occupy a dominant position in the regulatory network of anthocyanin biosynthesis. The TF conserved binding motifs can be combined with other TFs to regulate the enrichment and sedimentation of anthocyanins. In this study, the regulation of anthocyanin biosynthetic mechanisms of MYB-TFs are discussed. The role of the environment in the control of the anthocyanin biosynthesis network is summarized, the complex formation of anthocyanins and the mechanism of environment-induced anthocyanin synthesis are analyzed. Some prospects for MYB-TF to modulate the comprehensive regulation of anthocyanins are put forward, to provide a more relevant basis for further research in this field, and to guide the directed genetic modification of anthocyanins for the improvement of crops for food quality, nutrition and human health.

Genotype-by-Sequencing Analysis of Mutations and Recombination in Pepper Progeny of Gamma-Irradiated Gametophytes.

The irradiation of dry seeds is the most widely-used irradiation method for improving seed-propagated crops; however, the irradiation of other tissues also has useful effects. The irradiation of plant reproductive organs, rather than seeds, for mutation breeding has advantages, such as producing non-chimeric progeny. However, the mutation frequency and spectrum produced using this method have not been analyzed on a genome-wide level. We performed a genotype-by-sequencing analysis to determine the frequencies of single-base substitutions and small (1–2 bp) insertions and deletions in hot pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) plants derived from crosses using gamma-irradiated female or male gametophytes. The progeny of irradiated gametophytes showed similar or higher DNA mutation frequencies, which were dependent on the irradiation dose and irradiated tissue, and less biased single base substitutions than progeny of irradiated seeds. These characteristics were expected to be beneficial for development of mutation population with a high frequency of small DNA mutations and performing reverse-genetics-based mutation screening. We also examined the possible use of this irradiation method in manipulating the meiotic recombination frequency; however, no statistically significant increase was detected. Our results provide useful information for further research and breeding using irradiated gametophytes.

Formation of reproductive organs in an early-ripening soybean variety, depending on the daylight duration

To study the reaction of an early-ripening soybean variety to the formation of plant reproductive organs under the influence of different length of daylight hours, studies of 2 sowing periods in a growing house with a new early-ripening variety Sentyabrinka of the FSBSI FRC VNII of Soybean were conducted. Artificial reduction of the daylight duration to 8 hours was established from the phase of the 3rd triple leaf with alternating day and night periods in each variant 7 times during the growing season. The control was plants whose growth and development took place in natural light conditions. According to the research results, it was found that the change in the daylight duration during the vegetation period had a significant impact on the duration of the phases of plant growth and development, the growing season as a whole. When sowing soybeans on May 28 with a natural daylight, the height of plants and their seed productivity were higher than those of plants with a shortened daylight. At this sowing period, the highest productivity was obtained from one plant – 9.3 g, which is 1.0 g more compared to soybean plants with a sowing period of June 3. The growth of plants, the formation of reproductive organs and the seed productivity of the early-repining variety Sentyabrinka depended on the duration of daylight, which can be regulated by the sowing period.

Versatile Roles of Aquaporins in Plant Growth and Development.

Aquaporins (AQPs) are universal membrane integrated water channel proteins that selectively and reversibly facilitate the movement of water, gases, metalloids, and other small neutral solutes across cellular membranes in living organisms. Compared with other organisms, plants have the largest number of AQP members with diverse characteristics, subcellular localizations and substrate permeabilities. AQPs play important roles in plant water relations, cell turgor pressure maintenance, the hydraulic regulation of roots and leaves, and in leaf transpiration, root water uptake, and plant responses to multiple biotic and abiotic stresses. They are also required for plant growth and development. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the expression and roles of diverse AQPs in the growth and development of various vegetative and reproductive organs in plants. The functions of AQPs in the intracellular translocation of hydrogen peroxide are also discussed.

First record of the association between the mealybug Ferrisia meridionalis (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) and Duchesnea indica (Rosaceae)

Duchesnea indica (Andrews) Focke (Rosaceae) is a species with numerous genotypes, present in different environments, and without register of associations with any pseudococcidae. From the analysis of specimens from the Banco de Germoplasma de Frutilla - Universidad Nacional de Tucumán (BGF-UNT) the presence of individuals of the species Ferrisia meridionalis Williams was observed in vegetative pieces and reproductive organs of plants of the genotype D. indica f. albocaput. We report the association between F. meridionalis and D. indica for the first time

Salt Spray Distribution and Its Impact on Vegetation Zonation on Coastal Dunes: a Review

Salt spray mainly originates from the bursting of bubbles in breaking waves and is often considered as one of the dominant factors contributing to vegetation zonation in coastal dunes. In this paper, the literature on salt spray distribution and impact on dune plants are reviewed. Salt spray distribution is greatly affected by wave energy, wind conditions, distance from the coast, topography, vegetation, precipitation, and sand/soil properties. The amount of salt accumulation and trapping efficiency of the vegetative canopy are largely dependent on the plant characteristics such as architecture and leaf morphology. Salt concentrations in sand mainly vary with soil texture. Salt spray has negative impacts on plant growth and can cause water stress, promote tissue necrosis and leaf loss, reduce stomatal conductance, water use efficiency, photosynthesis, affect assimilates, or hormone supply to the growing organs. Damage to plants is increased by sand and wind abrasion and insect damage on leaves. High humidity, dew formation, light drizzle, and fog increase the rates of salt uptake by plant leaves. Plant seedlings and reproductive organs are more significantly affected by salt spray compared with mature plants and plant leaves respectively. Salt spray can also provide nutrition to plants particularly in coastal dunes with lower soil nutrition and salt accumulation rates. Species near the sea often show phenological, morphological, and physiological adaptations to salt spray including dormant times/seasons, low heights, compacted and asymmetrical canopies, unique leaf morphologies and/or orientations, dense hairs, rigid cuticles, and closed stomata. Surfactants produced from human activities can aggravate the damage on plants at average salt spray levels. Methods to trap salt vary considerably in the literature, and results from different studies may not be comparable due to trap type, placement, and landscape position. Greenhouse versus field experiments and sampling may not always be compatible. The relations between salt spray distribution and vegetation zonation will be further complicated under climate change and human activities.

The Role of Pea (Pisum sativum) Seeds in Transmission of Entero-Aggregative Escherichia coli to Growing Plants.

Crop plants can become contaminated with human pathogenic bacteria in agro-production systems. Some of the transmission routes of human pathogens to growing plants are well explored such as water, manure and soil, whereas others are less explored such as seeds. Fenugreek seeds contaminated with the entero-hemorrhagic Escherichia coli O104:H4 were suspected to be the principle vectors for transmission of the pathogen to sprouts at the food-borne disease outbreak in Hamburg and surrounding area in 2011. In this study we raised the questions of whether cells of the entero-aggregative E. coli O104:H4 strain 55989 is capable of colonizing developing plants from seeds and if it would be possible that, via plant internalization, these cells can reach the developing embryonic tissue of the next generation of seeds. To address these questions, we followed the fate of strain 55989 and of two other E. coli strains from artificially contaminated seeds to growing plants, and from developing flower tissue to mature seeds upon proximate introductions to the plant reproductive organs. Escherichia coli strains differing in origin, adherence properties to epithelial cells, and virulence profile were used in our experimentation to relate eventual differences in seed and plant colonization to typical E. coli properties. Experiments were conducted under realistic growth circumstances in greenhouse and open field settings. Entero-aggregative E. coli strain 55989 and the two other E. coli strains were able to colonize the root compartment of pea plants from inoculated seeds. In roots and rhizosphere soil, the strains could persist until the senescent stage of plant growth, when seeds had ripened. Colonization of the above-soil parts was only temporary at the start of plant growth for all three E. coli strains and, therefore, the conclusion was drawn that translocation of E. coli cells via the vascular tissue of the stems to developing pea seeds seems unlikely under circumstances realistic for agricultural practices. Proximate introductions of cells of E. coli strains to developing flowers also did not result in internal seed contamination, indicating that internal seed contamination with E. coli is an unlikely event. The fact that all three E. coli strains showed stronger preference for the root-soil zones of growing pea plants than for the above soil plant compartments, in spite of their differences in clinical behaviour and origin, indicate that E. coli in general will colonize root compartments of crop plants in production systems.

Metabolomic analyses of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. cv. ‘Aohan’) reproductive organs under boron deficiency and surplus conditions

Boron (B) deficiency and surplus are the main factors that affect plant growth and yield. A better understanding of the response mechanisms of plant reproductive organs to stress induced by B deficiency and surplus could provide new insights to potential strategies for improving seed yield and quality. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the mechanisms of tolerance to B-induced stress in the reproductive organs of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. cv. ‘Aohan’). We initially used five B concentrations (0 mg B L−1, 400 mg B L−1, 800 mg B L−1, 1200 mg B L−1, and 1600 mg B L−1) to determine the B deficient, sufficient, and surplus levels in the field. Secondly, we examined changes in metabolite profiles of alfalfa ‘Aohan’ reproductive organs in response to B deficiency (0 mg B L−1), B sufficiency (800 mg B L−1), and B surplus (1600 mg B L−1) conditions using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Flowers and seeds from alfalfa ‘Aohan’ showed different metabolite profiles and resistance capacity under B deficiency and surplus conditions. B deficiency led to the excessive accumulation of sugars and phenolic compounds in alfalfa ‘Aohan’ and seeds, respectively, thus causing abscission or the abortion of reproductive organs. In contrast, B surplus severely reduced the levels of metabolites associated with amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism, resulting in the flowers falling and, therefore, low seed yield. Overall, B deficiency predominantly reduced seed yield and quality of alfalfa ‘Aohan’, while B surplus mainly affected seed yield of alfalfa ‘Aohan’.

Cadmium effects on plant reproductive organs: Physiological, productive, evolutionary and ecological aspects

AbstractStudies involving the effects of long‐term exposure of plants to cadmium (Cd) are not usual, hence, data about Cd‐induced impacts on plant reproductive organs are scarce. The lack of robust information about this matter is surprising and also worrying because it is not yet clear whether (and how strong) Cd influences yield, and quality of fruits and seeds. Such information is necessary to guide strategies to manage crops and to avoid negative impacts on the environment and human health. This review gathers information about the effects of long exposure of flowers, fruits and seeds to Cd. A critical analysis of the data related to this matter, which have been published in the last 30 years, was performed. Ecological and evolutionary aspects were also discussed, and new insights were provided. The information about Cd‐induced effects on fruit and seed quality is relevant to support not only further scientific studies, but also environmental, economic and health policies in times of increasing heavy metal pollution in agricultural areas.

Quantifying Lygus lineolaris stylet probing behavior and associated damage to cotton leaf terminals

Lygus lineolaris is an important native pest of cotton in the mid-southern USA and a potential invasive species in other parts of the world. L. lineolaris feeds on more than 300 plant species, especially preferring reproductive plant organs but also feeding on young terminal leaves. There is little known about feeding behaviors performed on cotton leaves nor of associated injury symptoms triggered. Herein, we used the most accurate way to study feeding of piercing–sucking insects, i.e., electropenetrography (EPG). EPG was used to quantify L. lineolaris feeding behaviors on young terminal leaves of cotton, for third, fourth, and fifth instars plus male adults. Both non-probing (combined walking, standing and antennation) as well as probing behaviors (cell rupturing, transition, and ingestion) were compared with a time course of digitally measured leaf damage. Overall, L. lineolaris, especially adults, spent most time in non-probing behaviors. For probing behaviors, the longest duration was cell rupturing, especially for fourth and fifth instars followed by the third instars. The greatest damage to cotton leaves occurred when high numbers of wound-inducing cell-rupturing probes, which inject macerating saliva, were combined with minimal subsequent ingestion of saliva. On cotton leaves, this style of cell rupturing matches that of older nymphs. Thus, even small amounts of cell rupture feeding and ingestion by older L. lineolaris nymphs are damaging to cotton leaf terminals. These results help to understand the cause of damage to L. lineolaris hosts and consequently aid in developing strategies to reduce crop loss.