The effect of flowering calendula and cuphea plants on Orius insidiosus survival and predation of Aphis glycines

ABSTRACT

Flowering oilseed crops have the potential to diversify agroecosystems currently dominated by corn and soybeans and improve the provision of ecosystem services such as pest control. Nectar and pollen feeding may increase natural enemy fitness and searching behaviour, increasing their survival and prey consumption rates. The soybean aphid (Aphis glycines Matsumura; Hemiptera: Aphididae) is a particularly widespread and costly agricultural pest. In this study, we evaluate the effects of two flowering oilseed crops, cuphea and calendula, on the survival of the insidious flower bug (Orius insidiosus Say; Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) and its consumption levels of A. glycines placed on soybean plants. We also evaluated the survival of O. insidiosus when placed on glandular and non-glandular cuphea varieties. The amount of A. glycines that remained unconsumed by O. insidiosus did not differ among treatments. Because mortality levels of O. insidiosus were higher on glandular compared to non-glandular cuphea plants, glandular trichomes, or plant hairs, may play a role in impeding movement and prey consumption by O. insidious.

KEYWORDS:

• Oilseed crops
• cuphea
• calendula
• Orius insidiosus
• Aphis glycines
• soybean aphid

Acknowledgements

We thank Greta Schen, Janet Fergen, Cally Strobel, Mireia Sola, Jacob Pecenka, Phil Rozeboom, Nathan Koens, and Nicole Burkard for their assistance with setting up trials, maintaining O. insidiosus colonies, and collecting O. insidiosus specimens in the field. We thank Laura Marek with the Iowa State University/USDA-ARS North Central Regional Plant Introduction Station and Russ Gesch and Carrie Eberle with the USDA-ARS North Central Soil Conservation Research Laboratory for providing calendula and cuphea seed and for recommendations for growing these crops in the greenhouse. We thank the Brookings County Recreation Department for allowing us to collect O. insidiosus specimens from the Dakota Nature Park in Brookings County, South Dakota. Mention of a commercial or proprietary product does not constitute endorsement by the USDA.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

Funding was provided by a National Institute of Food and Agriculture AFRI competitive grant [2012-67009-20272].