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Title: Occurrence of the wheat stem maggot, Meromyza americana Fitch, (Diptera: Chloropidae) in intermediate wheatgrass, Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Barkworth and D.R. Dewey (Poaceae), in Oklahoma

Author
item Springer, Timothy
item ARNOLD, D. - OSU ENTOMOLOTY DEPT.

Submitted to: Journal of Kansas Entomological Society
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/10/2008
Publication Date: 7/31/2008
Citation: Springer, T.L., Arnold, D.C. 2008. Occurrence of the wheat stem maggot, Meromyza americana Fitch, (Diptera: Chloropidae) in intermediate wheatgrass, Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Barkworth and D.R. Dewey (Poaceae), in Oklahoma. Journal of Kansas Entomological Society. 81(3)309:310.

Interpretive Summary: The wheat stem maggot, Meromyza americana Fitch, is primarily an economic pest of wheat, Triticum aestivum L.; barley, Hordeum vulgare L.; and cereal rye, Secale cereale L. The larva of the wheat stem maggot enters the culm above the terminal node and feeds within the culm. Consequently, the developing inflorescence withers and dies and turns white in color. The aborted inflorescences are very noticeable among non-infested inflorescences. Adults of the wheat stem maggot were reared from aborted (white, blasted) reproductive culms of intermediate wheatgrass collected from seed production blocks in Woodward County, Oklahoma. Percentage of aborted inflorescences, determined by randomly sampling 10 quadrats (30 x 30 cm), ranged from 10 to 28 %. Intermediate wheatgrass is a new host record for this species of stem maggot in Oklahoma.

Technical Abstract: Adults of the wheat stem maggot, Meromyza americana Fitch, were reared from aborted (white, blasted) reproductive culms of intermediate wheatgrass, Elytrigia intermedia (Host) Nevski subsp. intermedia, collected from seed production blocks in Woodward County, Oklahoma. Percentage of aborted inflorescences, determined by randomly sampling 10 quadrats (30 x 30 cm), ranged from 10 to 28 %. Intermediate wheatgrass is a new host record for this species of stem maggot in Oklahoma.