ARS | Publication request: Pollen analyses of tarnished plant bugs

Submitted to: Palynology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: December 1, 2012
Publication Date: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Wild host plants play an important role for tarnished plant bug (TPB), Lygus lineolaris, especially when cultivated crops are not flowering. Knowledge of dispersal into/out of cropping systems and native habitats is important for managing this insect pest. Pollen has been used to characterize dispersal and food sources of many insects but not of TPB. Thirty-eight TPB were collected from light traps on and near the USDA-ARS, research farm at Stoneville, MS. Almost 1200 pollen grains from 79 taxa were found in the samples. Pollen was recovered from the insects and identified into 29 families, 33 genera, and 24 species. Many of the taxa of pollen are wet-site plants such as Saururus cernuus C. Linnaeus (lizard's tail) and Carya aquatic (F. Michaux) T. Nuttall (water hickory). Pollen analyses indicate that TBP from both sites utilized plants from disturbed and/or wet habitats.

Technical Abstract: Wild host plants play an important role for tarnished plant bug (TPB), Lygus lineolaris, especially when cultivated crops are not flowering. Knowledge of native habitats is important for managing this insect pest. Although pollen has been used to characterize dispersal and food sources of many insects, it has not been used for TPB. The purpose of this study was to determine if pollen analyses could be used as a tool to determine the non-crop plants associated with TPB. Thirty-eight TPB were collected from light traps set up at two sites near the USDA-ARS at Stoneville, MS research farm on June 27, 2011. Overall, 1183 pollen grains from 79 plant taxa were found in the samples. The pollen recovered was identified into 29 families, 33 genera, and 24 species. Many of the taxa of pollen found such as Saururus cernuus C. Linnaeus (lizard's tail), Sagittaria, Echinodorus and Carya aquatic (water hickory) occur in wet habitats. From the assemblage of identified pollen grains, TBP from both sites utilized plants from disturbed and/or wet habitats.