Evaluation of Methods for Screening Grasses for Resistance to Grasshopper Feeding

Abstract

A study was initiated to find a rapid method of screening forage plant selections for grasshopper preference. Six grass species both as seedlings and as plants 6 weeks older were fed to nymphs and/or adults of five grasshopper species and one group of nymphs of mixed species. It was concluded that it is feasible to screen plant species in the seedling stage for preference by using grasshopper nymphs because the nymphs selected plant species of both ages equally well and their preferences were similar to those of adults. This allows for more rapid screening of plants than would be the case with older plants and adult grasshoppers.