Development and validation of a model forecasting the phenology of European tarnished plant bug Lygus rugulipennis in the U.K. (13th February 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Xu, Xiang‐Ming; Jay, Chantelle N.; Fountain, Michelle T.; Linka, Judit; Fitzgerald, Jean D.
• Is Part Of: Agricultural and forest entomology. Volume 16:Number 3(2014:Aug.)
• Page Start: 265
• Page End: 272
• Publication Date: 2014-02-13
• Subjects: Insect pests -- Control -- Periodicals; Agricultural pests -- Control -- Periodicals; Forest insects -- Control -- Periodicals; 632.7
• DOI: 10.1111/afe.12054
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1461-9555

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="afe12054-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <p id="afe12054-para-0001"> <list list-type="order"> <list-item> <p>The European tarnished plant bug <italic>Lygus rugulipennis</italic> has caused significant economic damage to strawberry production in the U.K. in recent years.</p> </list-item> <list-item> <p>Laboratory experiments were conducted to study <italic>L. rugulipennis</italic> development under fluctuating low temperatures. The results indicated that <italic>L. rugulipennis</italic> can develop at an appreciable rate at 10 °C.</p> </list-item> <list-item> <p>We have developed a model predicting the phenology of <italic>L. rugulipennis</italic> in the U.K. The model assumes that adults overwinter and uses temperature from the first day of a calendar year to simulate pest development. The model was validated against field observations of <italic>L. rugulipennis</italic> population dynamics monitored under both open‐field and protected conditions on weeds and strawberry plants. Predicted <italic>L. rugulipennis</italic> population patterns from the model agreed well with the observed data.</p> </list-item> <list-item> <p>The <italic>L. rugulipennis</italic> model can be used in practice to enable growers to identify the timing of the first generation of <italic>L. rugulipennis</italic> adult dispersal into strawberry, or other crops, from weeds. The model will also assist growers with the timing of the deployment of pheromone traps and interpreting the importance of trap catches. This will allow growers to better time and target applications of insecticides against damaging life stages of the pest.</p> </list-item> </list> </p> </abstract>