Journal of Entomological Science (2015) 50, 28-34

Ron Cherry, Huangjun Lu and Pamela Roberts (2015)
Southern chinch bugs (Hemiptera: Blissidae) increase severity of plant disease in St. Augustinegrass
Journal of Entomological Science 50 (1), 28-34
Abstract: The southern chinch bug, Blissus insularis Barber, is the most damaging insect pest of St. Augustinegrass. Numerous studies have shown direct damage to the plant by chinch bugs. However, these studies did not determine if the insect may be causing indirect damage to the plant by making it more susceptible to disease. The study reported herein demonstrates that the fungal plant disease, gray leaf spot (Magnaporthe grisea [T.T. Hebert]), significantly increased in St. Augustinegrass after being infested with chinch bugs. Damage by the insect to other morphological and growth traits is also reported. This study emphasizes the complexity of southern chinch bug damage to St. Augustinegrass by direct damage and by indirect damage making the plant more susceptible to disease.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Huangjun Lu, Pamela D. Roberts

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Blissus insularis	Stenotaphrum (crop)