Visual attraction of the European tarnished plant bug Lygus rugulipennis (Hemiptera: Miridae) to a water trap with LED light in chrysanthemum greenhouses and olfactory attraction to novel compounds in Y‐tube tests

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The European tarnished plant bug Lygus rugulipennis Poppius (Hemiptera: Miridae) can cause several types of damage to crops grown in greenhouses and fields, including flower abortion in eggplant, stem and fruit damage in cucumbers, and splits in chrysanthemums. Studies suggest that both male and female L. rugulipennis may be more attracted to traps based on visual attraction than pheromone-based trap. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a water trap with LED lights and semiochemicals in trapping L. rugulipennis in the laboratory and greenhouse. RESULTS:The results showed that water traps equipped with white LED light caught 20-30 times more bugs than did the sex pheromone-based traps in greenhouse experiment. During the week of peak flight, the LED water trap caught a total of 29 males and females, whereas the sex pheromone caught only one male. Among the semiochemicals tested in a Y-tube, both males and females were attracted to ß-caryophyllene, but not in the presence of the sex pheromone, whereas both males and females were attracted to pentyl butyrate in the presence of the sex pheromone. The pheromone plus bean plant odor was attractive to the insects, suggesting an interaction between plant odor and pheromone.CONCLUSION: Overall, the findings of the study showed that the water trap with LED light could be an effective method for trapping L. rugulipennis in greenhouses.

Combining visual cues and pheromone blends for monitoring and management of the tarnished plant bug Lygus lineolaris (Hemiptera: Miridae)

“…Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have also been used to attract Lygus species to traps in the dark, although it is not clear how this compares with attraction to colored cards studied here. Van Tol et al 33 showed L. rugulipennis were attracted to LEDs emitting in the UV-A/violet wavelengths in a laboratory bioassay, whereas more bugs were caught in water traps baited with white LEDs rather than UV-A LEDs in a greenhouse test. Pan et al 34 reported that green LEDs were most effective in attracting Apolygus lucorum.…”

“…It would also be useful to increase catches of female bugs on the traps by addition of host-plant volatiles, for example, as has been done for other species of Lygus. 33,[44][45][46]…”

“…Further studies are required to understand the extent of geographical and temporal effects on attractiveness of the different blends, and the possible influence of the presence of different species mixes, to optimize the pheromone blend for use in monitoring and potentially control of L. lineolaris . It would also be useful to increase catches of female bugs on the traps by addition of host‐plant volatiles, for example, as has been done for other species of Lygus 33,44–46 …”

State of knowledge on biology and ecology of field bugs of the genus Lygus Hahn, 1833 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae) in agrocenoses of Ukraine and the world

“…Польові клопи шкодять також квітково-декоративним рослинам: фуксіям, гортензіям, хризантемам, айстрам (Van Tol et al, 2022).…”