Screening Range Grasses for Resistance to Black Grass Bugs Labops hesperius and Irbisia pacifica (Hemiptera: Miridae)

Abstract

Resistance to feeding by black grass bugs (Hemiptera: Miridae), Labops hesperius Uhler and Irbisia pacifica (Uhler), was studied in 5 range grasses: 3 crested wheatgrass [Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertn., A. desertorum (Fisch. ex Link) Schult., and the A. cristatum × A. desertorum hybrid], and 2 hybrids between quackgrass [Elytrigia repens (L.) Nevski] and bluebunch wheatgrass [Pseudoroegneria spicata (Pursh) Löve]. The grasses were screened as seedlings in 4 trials with caged insects. Based on the amount of damage, the crested wheatgrass hybrid was the most susceptible and the other hybrids the most resistant. Resistant individuals were also identified within each grass population. No differences were found in feeding preferences of the 2 black grass bug species. Clones of crested wheatgrass previously selected as individual seedlings maintained their resistance in subsequent replicated trials.