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Submitted to: Environmental Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 5/28/2013 Publication Date: 6/1/2013 Citation: Tillman, P.G. 2013. Likelihood of stink bugs colonizing crops: A case study in southeastern farmscapes. Environmental Entomology. 42(3):438-444. Interpretive Summary: Stink bugs are primary pests responsible for millions of dollars in losses and cost of control in many vegetable and row crops. Generally, in this region, corn, peanut, and cotton are grown close together in farmscapes. Thus, this study was conducted to examine the influence of source crops on colonization of stink bugs in cotton in corn-cotton, corn-peanut-cotton, and peanut-cotton farmscapes. Over the study, the southern green stink bug and the brown stink bug were present in corn, peanut, and cotton. The green stink bug, though, was never found in corn; this species occurred mainly in peanut and cotton. Southern green stink bug and brown stink bug adults were more likely to colonize cotton in corn-peanut-cotton farmscapes than in peanut-cotton farmscapes, and least likely to colonize corn-cotton farmscapes suggesting that peanut played a significant role in colonization of cotton by these stink bugs. Green stink bug adults were as likely to occur in corn-cotton farmscapes as in peanut-cotton and corn-peanut-cotton farmscapes indicating that peanut was not a significant source of this stink bug in cotton. Overall, types of crops and availability of crops in these farmscapes played pivotal roles in colonization of crops by stink bug populations over the course of the growing season. Technical Abstract: Stink bugs, including Nezara viridula (L.), Euschistus servus (Say), and Chinavia hilaris (Say), are economic pests across agricultural landscapes, i.e. farmscapes, where they can move between closely associated crops. Thus, this study was conducted to examine the influence of source crops on colonization of stink bugs in cotton in corn-cotton, corn-peanut-cotton, and peanut-cotton farmscapes. Over the study, all developmental stages of E. servus and N. viridula were present in corn, peanut, and cotton. C. hilaris was never found in corn; this species occurred mainly in peanut in peanut-cotton farmscapes and cotton. N. viridula and E. servus adults were more likely to colonize cotton in corn-peanut-cotton farmscapes than in peanut-cotton farmscapes, and least likely to colonize corn-cotton farmscapes suggesting that peanut played a significant role in colonization of cotton by these stink bugs. Adults of C. hilaris adults were as likely to occur in corn-cotton farmscapes as in peanut-cotton and corn-peanut-cotton farmscapes indicating that peanut was not a significant source of C. hilaris to cotton. Overall, composition, configuration, host plant suitability, and availability of crops in farmscapes played pivotal roles in colonization of crops by stink bug populations over the course of the growing season. |
