Host-Plant Sources of Lygus Spp. Infesting the Alfalfa Seed Crop in Southern Arizona and Southeastern California

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The spp. involved are L. hesperus, L. oblineatus and L. elisus. A total of 1195 records were made on 39 plant units, exclusive of alfalfa, in which 26,817 Lygus were captured in 134,361 sweeps with a 15-inch insect net, or an avg. of 20 bugs per 100 sweeps. Lygus populations averaged 4 bugs per 100 sweeps on plants growing in the desert habitat and 32.7 bugs on plants growing in the river valley areas. Data obtained also indicated that during years of avg. rainfall, the desert plants matured or became unfavorable for development of Lygus bugs before the main alfalfa seed crop was started. Migrations into the seed fields usually came from sources within the cultivated or irrigated area. Of the host plants other than alfalfa, only sugar-beet (Beta vulgaris), knotweed (Polygonum argyrocoleon). and Sisymbrium irio appeared to be sources of Lygus populations of adequate magnitude such that, if migrations occurred, they would be synchronized with the development of the main alfalfa seed crop.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: