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Q&A

Plant-Insect Ecosystems

Poster

P-IE: Biocontrol - Parasitoids and Predators On-Demand Posters

Geocoris punctipes (Say) feeding preferences using two potato pests

Poster On-Demand

    Presenting Author(s)

  • Alexander M. Butcher

    Graduate Fellow
    Oregon State University
    Albany, Oregon, United States

    • Co-Author(s)

  • Govinda Shrestha

    Assistant Professor of Practice-Hemp Extension Specialist
    Oregon State University
    Central Point, Oregon, United States

  • Silvia I. Rondon

    Oregon Integrated Pest Management Center Director and Professor; Extension Entomology Specialist; Hermiston Ag. res. and Ext. Center Interim Director
    Oregon State University
    Hermiston, Oregon, United States

Potatoes are an important crop for global food security. Potatoes are host to many insect pests which can cause significant yield loss both by overall reduction of tubers and through quality defects. Green peach aphids (GPA), Myzus persicae (Sulzer), and lygus bugs (Lygus spp.), are two common insect pests that occur simultaneously throughout the growing season in the lower Columbia Basin of Oregon. This aphid vectors several viruses in potatoes such as potato leaf roll virus (PLRV), and potato virus Y (PVY). The viral transmission of GPA is more significant in the summer populations. Lygus spp. Is another important pest in potatoes. The Big-eyed bug, Geocoris punctipes (Say) is a generalist predator that is known to predate on both pest species. Geocoris punctipes over winters as an adult and there are noteable difference between spring (overwintered) populations and summer populations, namely size and developmental time.  This study sought to evaluate the feeding behavior of spring and summer populations of G. punctipes when given prey choice. Thus, choice and no-choice bioassays were conducted under laboratory conditions and instances of predation were recorded by prey species.