ARS | Publication request: Biology and biotype determination of greenbug, Schizaphis graminum (Hemiptera: Aphididae), on seashore paspalum turfgrass (Paspalum vaginatum)

Submitted to: Environmental Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: December 6, 2007
Publication Date: April 1, 2008
Citation: Nuessly, G.S., Nagata, R.T., Burd, J.D., Hentz, M.G., Carroll, A.S., Halbert, S.E. 2008. Biology and biotype determination of greenbug, Schizaphis graminum (Hemiptera: Aphididae), on seashore paspalum turfgrass (Paspalum vaginatum). Environmental Entomology. 37(2):586-591.

Interpretive Summary: Greenbugs were first discovered damaging seashore paspalum turfgrass in November 2003 at Belle Glade, Florida. Several golf courses with seashore paspalum across central and southern Florida were subsequently infested by April 2004. Damage symptoms progress from water soaked lesions surrounding feeding sites within 24 hours to yellow discoloration and dead leaf tips within 96 hours. Problems caused by greenbug feeding were initially misdiagnosed as fertilizer imbalances, disease or water management problems because aphids were not previously found on warm season turfgrasses. In feeding trials on indicator plants, the Florida isolate of greenbug exhibited a unique biotypic profile that is most commonly associated with greenbugs found on noncultivated grass hosts. The paspalum turfgrass biotype was also virulent on the wheat cultivar GRS1201, which is resistant to the principal agricultural biotypes attacking small grains, as well as, to all currently available resistant sorghum cultivars.

Technical Abstract: Greenbug, Schizaphis graminum (Rondani) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) was first discovered damaging seashore paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum Swartz) turfgrass in November 2003 at Belle Glade, Florida. Several golf courses with seashore paspalum across central and southern Florida were subsequently infested by April 2004. Damage symptoms progress from water soaked lesions surrounding feeding sites within 24 hr to chlorosis and necrosis of leaf tips within 96 hr. Problems caused by greenbug feeding were initially misdiagnosed as fertilizer, disease or water management problems because aphids were not previously found on warm season turfgrasses. In feeding trials on indicator plants the Florida isolate of greenbug exhibited a unique biotypic profile most commonly found on noncultivated grass hosts. It was virulent on the wheat cultivar GRS1201 that is resistant to the principal agricultural biotypes attacking small grains and to all currently available resistant sorghum cultivars.