Influence of resistance traits and boll age on tolerance of cotton to tarnished plant bug, Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois) (Hemiptera: Miridae)

Studies were conducted to determine the influence of host plant resistance traits and boll age on tarnished plant bug injury to cotton. Eight cotton varieties were subjected to tarnished plant bugs in a caged environment in the field. Results from the study indicated that the nectariless trait provided a higher level of tolerance than the nectaried, smooth, and hairy traits. Influence of boll age, measured in heat units (HU) accumulated after anthesis, on susceptibility to tarnished plant bug injury was tested on bolls from two cotton varieties, NuCotn 33B and Delta Pine 50. Tarnished plant bug injury declined significantly as boll age increased in both varieties. Bolls were susceptible to only minimal tarnished plant bug injury once 250 HU had accumulated after anthesis. A similar study was performed to determine if tarnished plant bug injury to bolls increased susceptibility to boll rot. Results from the study were inconclusive.