Turfgrass, Crop, and Weed Hosts of Blissus occiduus (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae)

Authors

Thomas E. Eickhoff, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Frederick P. Baxendale, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Tiffany Heng-Moss, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Erin E. Blankenship, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

2-1-2004

Comments

Published in J. Econ. Entomol. 97(1): 67D73 (2004). Copyright © 2004 Entomological Society of America. Used by permission.

Abstract

Blissus occiduus Barber is an important pest of buffalograss, Buchloe dactyloides (Nuttall) Engelmann, turf. No-choice studies documented the susceptibility of selected turfgrasses, crops, and weeds to B. occiduus feeding. Highly to moderately susceptible grasses included buffalograss; yellow Setaria glauca (L.) and green foxtail Setaria viridis (L.); Kentucky bluegrass, Poa pratensis L.; perennial ryegrass, Lolium perenne L.; brome, Bromus spp. Leyss.; zoysiagrass, Zoysia japonica Steudel; Bermuda grass, Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.; sorghum, Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench; tall fescue, Festuca arundinacea Schreb.; and barley Hordeum vulgare (L.). Slightly to nonsusceptible grasses included Þne fescue, Festuca ovina hirtula L.; rye, Secale cereale L.; crabgrass Digitaria sanguinalis (L.); bentgrass, Agrostis palustris Huds.; wheat, Tritium aestivum L.; corn, Zea maysL.; fall panicum Panicum dichotomiflorum Michx.; and St. Augustinegrass, Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walt.) Kuntze. The reproductive potential of B. occiduus was also investigated on these same grasses. B. occiduus produced offspring on 15 of the 18 turfgrass, crop, and weed species evaluated. No reproduction occurred on either Bermuda grass or St. Augustinegrass, and buffalograss plants were killed by B. occiduus feeding before offspring could be produced.