Short-horned grasshopper subfamilies feed at different rates on big bluestem and switchgrass cultivars

Authors

Muhammad Ullah, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Fatima Mustafa, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
William W. Hoback, University of Nebraska at KearneyFollow
Mathew L. Brust, Chadron State CollegeFollow
Kerri M. Farnsworth-Hoback, University of Nebraska at KearneyFollow
John E. Foster, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

2015

Citation

Biologia 70/12: 1631—1636, 2015 Section Zoology

Comments

Copyright 2015 Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences

Abstract

Grasshopper species belonging to subfamilies Melanoplinae, Gomphocerinae and Oedipodinae were tested for their feeding rate on three types of grass. All grasshopper species were offered Shawnee and Kanlow cultivars of switchgrass, Panicum virgatum L. and big bluestem, Andropogon gerardii Vitman. The grasshoppers, Melanoplus femurrubrum and Melanoplus differentialis were also tested for their feeding on turgid or wilted leaves of the Shawnee cultivar of switchgrass. We found that M. differentialis consumed more switchgrass compared to big bluestem while M. femurrubrum and Arphia xanthoptera consumed the most Shawnee switchgrass. The M. differentialis consumed more turgid grass compared to wilted switchgrass. The feeding performances show differences among grasshopper species even in the same subfamily and suggest that Melanoplinae grasshoppers may become destructive pests of switchgrass planted for biofuel production..