Evaluation of Brachiaria and St. Augustine grasses as breeding hosts of Myndus crudus Van Duzee (Homoptera : Cixiidae), a vector of the lethal yellowing disease of palms. - (:unkn) unknown (1990 : [Publisher not identified])
The cixiid planthopper, Myndus crudus Van Duzee, is a vector of mycoplasmalike organisms that cause Lethal Yellowing (LY) in palms. The nymphs of M. crudus develop in the root zonez of grasses. Management of the grasses under palm plantings is therefore a potential method of suppressing M. crudus populations and thus limiting the spread of LY. To identify grasses unfavourable as hosts, 3 cultivars of St. Agustine grass, Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walt.) Kuntze, and 2 species of Brachiaria were grown in transparent containers in an insect cage and exposed to field-collected adult M. crudus introduced into cage. Host suitability ws measured by the relative degree of colonization of grass roots by the nymphs. The 3 cultivars of St. Augustine grass, viz., FX 261, FX 33, and FX 313 were as favourable as 'Floratam' St. Augustine grass a breeding hosts. 4 times as many M. crudus nymphs were found associated with 'Floratam' as with Brachiaria humidicola (Rendle) Schweick and B. dictyoneura (Fig. and DeNot) Stapf. The latter two grasses thus have potential as ground cover in coconut plantations to reduce the spread of the LY disease.
24 referencias.
The cixiid planthopper, Myndus crudus Van Duzee, is a vector of mycoplasmalike organisms that cause Lethal Yellowing (LY) in palms. The nymphs of M. crudus develop in the root zonez of grasses. Management of the grasses under palm plantings is therefore a potential method of suppressing M. crudus populations and thus limiting the spread of LY. To identify grasses unfavourable as hosts, 3 cultivars of St. Agustine grass, Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walt.) Kuntze, and 2 species of Brachiaria were grown in transparent containers in an insect cage and exposed to field-collected adult M. crudus introduced into cage. Host suitability ws measured by the relative degree of colonization of grass roots by the nymphs. The 3 cultivars of St. Augustine grass, viz., FX 261, FX 33, and FX 313 were as favourable as 'Floratam' St. Augustine grass a breeding hosts. 4 times as many M. crudus nymphs were found associated with 'Floratam' as with Brachiaria humidicola (Rendle) Schweick and B. dictyoneura (Fig. and DeNot) Stapf. The latter two grasses thus have potential as ground cover in coconut plantations to reduce the spread of the LY disease.
Keywords: Amarillamiento letal; Enfermedades de las plantas.; insectos vectores; Myndus crudus.; Palma de aceite