Arthropod-Plant Interactions (2021) 15, 197-207

Shimat V. Joseph and David Jespersen (2021)
Influence of relative humidity on the expression of twolined spittlebug (Hemiptera: Cercopidae) feeding injury in turfgrass genotypes
Arthropod-Plant Interactions 15 (2), 197-207
Abstract: The twolined spittlebug, Prosapia bicincta (Say) (Hemiptera: Cercopidae), is an important insect pest of turfgrass in the eastern United States. Although twolined spittlebug infests most warm-season turfgrasses, the influence of low and high relative humidity (RH) on the expression of feeding damage in warm-season turfgrasses is not well understood. Experiments were conducted in which five warm-season turfgrasses were caged with ten twolined spittlebug adults and exposed to 40% and 95% RH for 5 days. The extent of damage was measured with a SPAD meter (chlorophyll content), and ratings of greenness, yellowness, and purpleness were obtained using a scale system. Physiological parameters such as stomatal conductance (GS), photosynthesis (A), evapotranspiration (E), and water use efficiency (WUE) were measured. Under both 40 and 95% RH, bermudagrass [Cynodon L.C. Rich, spp.] exhibited injury symptoms after twolined spittlebug exposure. The rate of A was lower in the presence of twolined spittlebug in bermudagrass under both RHs. Injury symptoms in centipedegrass [Eremochloa ophiuroides (Munro) Hack] were only observed under high-RH conditions, whereas in zoysiagrass [Zoysia matrella (L.) Merrill.] symptoms were only observed under low RH. Minimal levels of symptom expression were observed in St. Augustinegrass [Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walt.) Kuntze], and no feeding symptoms were observed in seashore paspalum [Paspalum vaginatum Sw.] under low RH. Overall, the presence of twolined spittlebug A was influenced by high RH, whereas WUE was affected by low RH in most of the turfgrass genotypes.
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Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Shimat V. Joseph

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
damage/losses/economics
environment - cropping system/rotation

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Prosapia bicincta	Cynodon (crop)	U.S.A. (SE)
	Prosapia bicincta	Zoysia (crop)	U.S.A. (SE)
	Prosapia bicincta	Eremochloa (crop)	U.S.A. (SE)