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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Southern Insect Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #396609
Research Project: Insect Control and Resistance Management in Corn, Cotton, Sorghum, Soybean, and Sweet Potato, and Alternative Approaches to Tarnished Plant Bug Control in the Southern United States

Location: Southern Insect Management Research

Title: Susceptibility of rice to Oebalus pugnax (F.) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) feeding at different levels of grain maturity and impacts on insecticide termination

Author
item CATO, AJ - University Of Arkansas
item LORENZ, GM - University Of Arkansas
item BATEMAN, NR - University Of Arkansas
item HARDKE, JT - University Of Arkansas
item BLACK, JL - Texas A&M University
item THRASH, BC - University Of Arkansas
item JOHNSON, DL - University Of Arkansas
item GORE, J - Mississippi State University
item STUDEBAKER, G - University Of Arkansas
item FAN, SX - Auburn University

Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/20/2019
Publication Date: 9/29/2019
Citation: Cato, A., Lorenz, G., Bateman, N., Hardke, J., Black, J., Thrash, B., Johnson, D., Gore, J., Studebaker, G., Fan, S. 2019. Susceptibility of rice to Oebalus pugnax (F.) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) feeding at different levels of grain maturity and impacts on insecticide termination. Journal of Economic Entomology. 113(1):249-254. https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toz250.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toz250

Interpretive Summary: The rice stink bug, Oebalus pugnax (F.), is a major pest of rice, Oryza sativa L., grown in Arkansas and many other southern states. The rice stink bug feeds on the developing kernels of rice and other grasses beginning at the heading growth stage when the panicle is exserted from the boot until the end of the ripening phase, known as hard dough. The objective of this study was to determine changes in kernel damage (% peck) of rice plants relative to feeding by a range of densities of rice stink bug during increasing percentages of kernels at hard dough on rice panicles, and create a decision-making protocol to terminate insecticide applications. The results indicated that rice in the early stages of hard dough is susceptible to large levels of indirect yield loss, but unless significant densities of rice stink bug are present at 60% hard dough, no more sampling or applications are necessary.

Technical Abstract: The stages of rice, Oryza sativa L. (Poales: Poaceae), grain maturity that are most susceptible to rice stink bug, Oebalus pugnax (F.), damage have been identified; however, the stage at which they are no longer capable of causing appreciable damage during grain maturity is unclear. The objective of this study was to determine the susceptibility of rice to rice stink bug feeding at different levels of grain maturity and determine an insecticide termination timing. Rice stink bug damage was examined using five levels of grain maturity described as percent of kernels reaching mature straw coloration referred to as hard dough (20, 40, 60, 80, and 100%) across a range of infestation levels using single panicle sleeve cages and large cages. Hybrid and conventional cultivar rice panicles at 20, 40, and 60% hard dough were found to be susceptible to indirect yield loss, as two rice stink bugs per panicle resulted in over 7% peck. In large cage trials, 25 rice stink bugs caused 0.7–1% peck to hybrid and conventional rice plots at 20% hard dough. Much less damage was observed once rice reached 60% hard dough, where peck averages only reached 0.4%. Decreased damage at 60% hard dough was validated using uncaged trials where 0.4% additional peck was observed in unsprayed plots. These data indicate that rice in the early stages of hard dough is susceptible to large levels of indirect yield loss, but unless significant densities of rice stink bug are present at 60% hard dough, no more sampling or applications are necessary.