Influence of Trichome Variations on Populations of Small Phytophagous Insects in Soybean1

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Abstract
Small phytophagous insects were sampled with a D-Vac® from genotypes of soybean having trichome variations. The genotypes included PI 229358, which is resistant to the Mexican bean beetle, Epilachna varivestis Mulsant, and normal, dense, glabrous and deciduous near isogenic lines of the ‘Lee’ variety. Species sampled were a springtail, Deuterosminthurus yumanensis Wray; the potato leafhopper, Empoasca fabae (Harris); a thrips, Sericothrips variabilis (Beach); and the bandedwing whitefly, Trialeurodes abutilonea (Haldeman). Populations of D. yumanensis and E. fabae exhibited dramatic responses to trichome variations, with numbers of both species being highest on glabrous and deciduous genotypes. D. yumanensis numbers were lowest on dense Lee, a genotype which contained 3 times more trichomes per unit of leaf area than normal Lee, whereas E. fabae numbers were lowest on PI 229358, a genotype having long, erect trichomes of a slightly lower density than in normal Lee. Mean seasonal numbers of S. variabilis and T. abutilonea showed no consistent response to trichome variations.