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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Southern Insect Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #209957
Title: Characterization of Microsatellite Loci in the Western Tarnished Plant Bug, Lygus hesperus Knight (Hemiptera: Miridae)

Author
item SHRESTHA, R. - TEXAS A & M UNIVERSITY
item PARAJULEE, M. - TEXAS A & M UNIVERSITY
item Perera, Omaththage
item Scheffler, Brian
item DENSMORE, L. - TEXAS A & M UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Molecular Ecology Notes
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/8/2007
Publication Date: 8/8/2007
Citation: Shrestha, R.B., Parajulee, M.N., Perera, O.P., Scheffler, B.E., Densmore, L.S. 2007. Characterization of Microsatellite Loci in the Western Tarnished Plant Bug, Lygus hesperus Knight (Hemiptera: Miridae). Molecular Ecology Notes. 7:1342-1344. (doi:10.1111/j.147-8286.2007.01875.x)

Interpretive Summary: Western tarnished plant bug, Lygus hesperus has a wide range of plant hosts. It is also an important pest of cotton in the western United States. This species is exclusively controlled using insecticide sprays and has developed resistance to several insecticides. Understanding the genetic make up of natural populations of this pest is a very important step in developing successful resistance management programs. Genetic markers suitable for population genetic studies were not available for this species. Here, we have successfully employed an enrichment protocol to isolate polymorphic genetic markers and have characterized 10 markers sufficiently variable to study natural populations of this insect species. In addition to population genetic studies, these markers will facilitate the development of genetic maps to study inheritance of genes responsible for insecticidal resistance.

Technical Abstract: A microsatellite-enriched partial genomic DNA library of Lygus hesperus was generated and screened by sequencing. Ten polymorphic microsatellite marker loci were characterized by genotyping 92 insect samples. The observed number of alleles ranged from 3 to 7 with an average of 4.6 (S.E. ±0.45) while the effective number of alleles ranged from 1.21 to 3.02 with an average of 2.14 (S.E. ±0.20). Significant deviations from Hardy-Weinberg expectations were detected at 3 loci. Seven of the L. hesperus markers could be transferred to L. lineolaris.