Oviposition deterrence against Sitodiplosis mosellana (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) in spring wheat (Gramineae)

2002 ◽  
Vol 134 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.J. Lamb ◽  
I.L. Wise ◽  
M.A.H. Smith ◽  
R.I.H. McKenzie ◽  
J. Thomas ◽  
...  

AbstractSpring wheats, Triticum aestivum L., previously identified as being lightly infested by eggs or larvae of wheat midge, Sitodiplosis mosellana (Géhin), were tested to determine if reduced infestation was the result of oviposition deterrence. Oviposition deterrence was measured as the number of eggs deposited on a wheat line relative to that on a check. Egg densities on some of these lines were 10% or less compared with the susceptible commercial cultivar 'Roblin' in choice tests and 20% or less in no-choice tests in the laboratory. These lines also deterred oviposition in the field, reducing egg densities by at least 50% in single-row and multi-row field plots. Other experimental lines showed levels of oviposition deterrence intermediate between the most deterrent lines and 'Roblin'. One of 12 commercial cultivars tested, 'AC Superb', also had low egg densities in the laboratory and in single-row field tests, but this possible oviposition deterrence was not consistently present in large plots or commercial fields. The most deterrent experimental lines showed a level of oviposition deterrence that would be agriculturally useful and desirable in combination with a previously described antibiotic resistance.

2002 ◽  
Vol 134 (6) ◽  
pp. 851-854 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.J. Lamb ◽  
I.L. Wise ◽  
J.E. Gavloski ◽  
L.A. Kaminski ◽  
O.O. Olfert

Wheat midge larvae, Sitodiplosis mosellana (Géhin), attack developing seeds and cause losses of common wheat, Triticum aestivum L., and durum wheat, Triticum durum Desf. (Olfert et al. 1985; Lamb et al. 1999). Insecticide applied as the crop flowers can reduce damage (Elliott 1988). The economic threshold varies from 4 to 7% of common wheat seeds infested by larvae, depending upon grade of wheat and cost of insecticidal control (Lamb et al. 2000). To make control decisions, farmers count adults at sunset during the period from heading to flowering (Elliott and Mann 1996), and apply insecticide if densities reach a nominal threshold of one adult per four or five wheat spikes (Anonymous 1993). Decisions must be made although no relationship has been detected between the number of adults in the crop and subsequent densities of damaging larvae (Oakley et al. 1998), and farmers have little confidence in their counts. The pest is difficult to sample because adults are small, short-lived, crepuscular, and are usually hidden in the crop canopy (Pivnick and Labbé 1993); eggs are microscopic (Mukerji et al. 1988); larvae feed inside florets (Lamb et al. 2000); and mature larvae and pupae are in the soil (Lamb et al. 1999). Sticky traps have been used to sample midges in sorghum (Merchant and Teetes 1992) and in wheat (Oakley et al. 1998), with mixed results. Our objective was to determine if catches of wheat midge adults on sticky traps can effectively guide farmers in making control decisions.


2001 ◽  
Vol 133 (4) ◽  
pp. 579-591 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.J. Lamb ◽  
M.A.H. Smith ◽  
I.L. Wise ◽  
P. Clarke ◽  
J. Clarke

AbstractOver 250 durum wheats, Triticum durum Desf., and close relatives were screened for resistance to the wheat midge, Sitodiplosis mosellana (Géhin). Less than 2% showed consistently reduced egg and larval densities in field and laboratory trials. Two related accessions named ’Kahla’ had stable, low larval infestation levels, which were about 30% of those in commercial durum wheat cultivars. No antibiosis was detected in durum wheats. The reduction in infestation by larvae was associated with a similar reduction in oviposition. The resistance reduced egg densities by 80% or more in choice and no-choice laboratory tests and by about 70% in the field. Egg group size was not affected, and therefore reduced oviposition must have resulted from the number of egg groups deposited by females. The resistance was not associated with any of 12 morphological traits that were quantified for spikes. ’Kahla’ is the first durum wheat identified to have resistance against the wheat midge.


1996 ◽  
Vol 128 (3) ◽  
pp. 367-375 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.H. Elliott ◽  
L.W. Mann

AbstractIn a 3-year field study, potted plants of ‘Katepwa’ wheat, Triticum aestivum L., were exposed to ovipositing wheat midge. Sitodiplosis mosellana (Géhin), to determine when spikes are most susceptible to damage. After exposure, plants were maintained under controlled conditions for 4 weeks and examined for wheal midge larvae and damaged kernels, ‘Katepwa’ wheat became susceptible to wheat midge damage shortly after spikes emerged from the boot leaf. Location of larvae and damaged kernels within spikes was influenced by the duration spikelets were exposed to oviposition and pattern of anthesis within spikes. In 1992, frequencies of larvae and damaged kernels were 60–90 times higher in spikes exposed to oviposition during advanced heading (stages 57–59, Zadoks’ code) than in those exposed during flowering (stages 61–69). Kernel damage in spikes exposed to oviposition during stages 57–59, 61–65, and 65–70 was 48.5, 3.2, and 0.2%, respectively, in 1993 and 21.2, 1.0, and 0.6%, respectively, in 1994. Data indicated that susceptibility to midge damage declined 15- to 25-fold between heading and early anthesis and 35- to 240-fold between heading and advanced anthesis. Potential factors contributing to these declines and concomitant reductions in larval frequencies are discussed.Commercial fields of ‘Katepwa’ wheat should be monitored for ovipositing wheat midge throughout heading (stages 51–59) when spikes are most vulnerable to damage. Larval survival and kernel damage were so low after stage 61 that monitoring during anthesis should be unnecessary. Intensive inspection of fields throughout heading would ensure that chemical treatments are applied when they are necessary and most effective.


2010 ◽  
Vol 142 (6) ◽  
pp. 574-583 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.H. Gharalari ◽  
M.A.H. Smith ◽  
S.L. Fox ◽  
R.J. Lamb

AbstractWheat, Triticum L. (Poaceae), varieties with deterrence to oviposition by the wheat midge, Sitodiplosis mosellana (Géhin) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), can be useful in reducing seed damage. The behaviour of ovipositing females on spring wheat, T. aestivum L., with and without oviposition deterrence was investigated to account for observed differences in oviposition on deterrent and nondeterrent hosts. On deterrent wheat, 34% of females landing oviposited compared with 100% of females landing on nondeterrent wheat. The sequence of female behaviours just prior to egg-laying on deterrent spikes was similar to that on nondeterrent spikes. The length of time required to lay an egg and mean egg-batch size were similar on deterrent and nondeterrent wheat, but females spent nearly twice as long on the latter. After landing on deterrent wheat, females took longer to begin ovipositing and longer to leave after the last oviposition event than did females on nondeterrent wheat, which further reduced the time available for oviposition on deterrent compared with nondeterrent wheat. As a result of these behavioural differences, deterrence reduced oviposition by more than 60%.


2005 ◽  
Vol 78 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Mongrain ◽  
L. Couture ◽  
J.-P. Dubuc ◽  
A. Comeau

Samples of wheat spikes (Triticum aestivum) were collected in the summer of 1995 from different crop districts in Quebec and the occurrence of orange wheat blossom midge (Sitodiplosis mosellana) and seed microflora were determined. Estimated yield loss caused by wheat midge larvae averaged 6.3%. The percentage of infested spikes was significantly correlated with total seed contamination by fungi and bacteria (r = 0.79). The specific occurrence of Fusarium graminearum in grains was also significantly correlated with number of larvae per spike (r = 0.67) or per spikelet (r = 0.67). Consequently, the wheat midge might play a role in dissemination of F. graminearum.


2001 ◽  
Vol 133 (2) ◽  
pp. 255-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
I.L. Wise ◽  
R.J. Lamb ◽  
M.A.H. Smith

AbstractIn field and laboratory tests the wheat midge, Sitodiplosis mosellana (Géhin), oviposited and developed on all 43 accessions of 17 species of diploid, tetraploid, and hexaploid wheats, Triticum L. spp. Ancestral diploid wild wheats had the lowest infestations among species in the genus, and two hexaploid species, Triticum sphaerococcum Percival and Triticum zhukovskyi Men. and Er., were more heavily infested than common wheat, Triticum aestivum L. In five lineages recognized in the genus, infestation increased in association with domestication, although not always in a continuous way. The level of infestation was not related to seed size or the number of seeds in spikes. Wheat species with free-threshing seeds and compact spikes were more infested by larvae than ancestral wheat species with less compact spikes and glumes that were either affixed to or pressed tightly against the seed. An association between glume tightness and spike compactness may explain the positive correlation between susceptibility and spike compactness. Domestication increased the susceptibility of crop wheats to wheat midge, possibly because the free-threshing trait affects the suitability of the glume–seed interface for oviposition and establishment of larvae on the seeds. The ancestral cultivated wheats, Triticum spelta L. and Triticum dicoccoides Körn., are promising sources of resistance to wheat midge because they have the same genomes as modern wheats and relatively low susceptibility. One free-threshing accession of Triticum dicoccum Schrank had relatively low susceptibility to wheat midge and may provide a source of resistance.


2015 ◽  
Vol 147 (6) ◽  
pp. 754-765 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian L. Wise ◽  
Stephen L. Fox ◽  
Marjorie A.H. Smith

AbstractSix resistant spring wheat cultivars with the Sm1 gene were assessed for seed damage by the orange wheat blossom midge (Sitodiplosis mosellana (Géhin) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae)) in laboratory and field tests. All resistant cultivars deterred larvae from developing on the seed and had significantly less yield losses than susceptible wheat cultivars. Vesper was the first cultivar with Sm1 that also deterred oviposition by the wheat midge. Seed damage to all resistant cultivars decreased the later plants were exposed to adult midge from the time spikes emerged from the boot until anthesis. Spikes of susceptible wheat cultivars had lower yield losses when exposed two or more days after emergence than spikes exposed at the time of emergence. Seed damage to resistant wheat caused dorsal and lateral distortions of the seed and often altered seed colour and shape. The pedigree of the resistant cultivars had no effect on the extent of seed damage. Shaw wheat had the least amount of seed damage and no third instars on the seed in both field and laboratory tests. All other cultivars had a few small third instars and similar levels of seed damage in laboratory tests, with Fieldstar being the least effective. In at least one mean site-year Shaw had significantly less yield losses than the other resistant cultivars. It is recommended that Shaw be used as the standard for the selection of future spring wheat cultivars with Sm1.


2016 ◽  
Vol 148 (5) ◽  
pp. 616-618 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.R. Echegaray ◽  
R.N. Stougaard ◽  
B. Bohannon

AbstractEuxestonotus error (Fitch) (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) is considered part of the natural enemy complex of the wheat midge Sitodiplosis mosellana (Géhin) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae). Although previously reported in the United States of America, there is no record for this species outside the state of New York since 1865. A survey conducted in the summer of 2015 revealed that E. error is present in northwestern Montana and is likely playing a role in the suppression of wheat midge populations.


2014 ◽  
Vol 146 (3) ◽  
pp. 335-346 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.A.H. Smith ◽  
I.L. Wise ◽  
S.L. Fox ◽  
C.L. Vera ◽  
R.M. DePauw ◽  
...  

AbstractSpring wheat varieties with the Sm1 gene for resistance to wheat midge, Sitodiplosis mosellana (Géhin) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), were compared with susceptible wheat (Triticum Linnaeus; Poaceae) with respect to sources of yield loss and reduction in market value from wheat midge feeding damage. Four resistant varietal blends (90% Sm1 wheat plus 10% susceptible refuge) and four susceptible cultivars were grown in replicated experiments at eight locations in western Canada. Frequencies and 1000-kernel weights of undamaged and midge-damaged seeds were assessed before harvest by dissecting samples of ripe spikes, and after harvest in samples of cleaned grain. Spike data were used to estimate yield losses from reduced weight of damaged seeds and loss of severely damaged seeds (⩽8 mg) at harvest. Among midge-damaged seeds in spikes, few were severely damaged in resistant varietal blends, whereas most were severely damaged in susceptible cultivars. Cleaned, harvested grain of resistant varietal blends and susceptible cultivars had similar frequencies of midge damage and were assessed similar market grades. The primary benefit of midge-resistant wheat was reduced yield loss due to seed damage by wheat midge larvae. Resistant wheat did not protect against loss of market grade, but market value could increase due to larger yields.


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