Differential Resistance Among Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia) Species
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JOBNAME: horts 43#2 2008 PAGE: 1 OUTPUT: February 13 18:20:19 2008 tsp/horts/158649/02530 HORTSCIENCE 43(2):403–407. 2008. Schultz et al., 2001). However, only the adult flea beetles have become a pest on crape myrtles, where substantial populations of this Differential Resistance Among Crape insect can suddenly appear and severely dam- age and defoliate young and containerized Myrtle (Lagerstroemia) Species, plants (Byers, 1997; Pettis et al., 2004). To date, there have been only limited and anec- Hybrids, and Cultivars to Foliar dotal reports of extensive flea beetle damage to landscape-established crape myrtles. We report on the differential resistance of Feeding by Adult Flea Beetles containerized liners of crape myrtle species and cultivars to a severe attack of flea beetles (Altica litigata) in a nursery setting, which was followed by a 2 1 no-choice feeding trial in the laboratory to Raul I. Cabrera , James A. Reinert, and Cynthia B. McKenney verify flea beetle-feeding preference. Horticultural Sciences, Texas A & M University Research & Extension Center, 17360 Coit Road, Dallas, TX 75252-6599 Materials and Methods Additional index words. Altica litigata, crape myrtle, cultivars, Lagerstroemia, flea beetle, Nursery choice feeding study. Rooted host resistance liners from 12 cultivars, all of standard size Abstract. Field (choice) and laboratory (no choice) studies were conducted to evaluate the (greater than 6 m or greater than 20 ft) at susceptibility of 12 crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia) cultivars, representing two species and maturity representing two Lagerstroemia their interspecific hybrids, to feeding damage by the flea beetle (Altica litigata Fall). The species and their interspecific hybrids (L. results indicate that as a group, the L. indica L. cultivars were more susceptible to attack indica, L. fauriei, and L. indica · L. fauriei and significant herbivory damage by Altica beetles, whereas all the L. fauriei Koehne hybrids) were acquired in early May 2002. cultivars and most of the interspecific L. indica · fauriei hybrids were resistant. Background information on these cultivars is Significant differences in feeding damage were observed between the new and older provided in Table 1. The liners were trans- leaves in the susceptible hybrid ‘Biloxi’ and L. indica ‘Whit IV’, but not in the rest of the planted on 27 May to No. 4 (12-L) plastic cultivars. Mineral nutrient content differences were observed between species with containers holding a 2 peat : 1 pine bark : 1 L. indica cultivars having a significantly contrasting nutrient status profile compared sand (by volume) growing medium amended –3 –3 with the L. fauriei and interspecific hybrid cultivar groups. The results indicate that the with 3 kgÁm dolomitic limestone, 0.6 kgÁm factors influencing Altica flea beetle-feeding preferences and damage are inherited and of the micronutrient fertilizer Micromax –3 therefore will allow the implementation of pest management practices that minimize (Scotts Co., Marysville, OH), and 0.6 kgÁm damage and optimize chemical control strategies. In addition, opportunities may exist for of the wetting agent Aquagro (Aquatrols breeding and selection efforts that could lead to superior cultivars with insect resistance. Corp. of America, Paulsboro, NJ). The plants were manually irrigated with a complete nutrient solution based on the water-soluble The genus Lagerstroemia L. is native to Attesting to this status, in 1997, the common fertilizer Peter’s Excel Cal- Mag 15-5-15 Southeast Asia and comprises between 50 crape myrtle, L. indica, was designated as the (Scotts Co.) adjusted to provide a nitrogen and 80 species, most of which are concen- official shrub for the state of Texas (Resolu- concentration of 100 mgÁL–1. The plants were trated in tropical latitudes (Cabrera, 2004; tion 14, 75th Texas State Legislature). placed in gravel beds lined with landscape Egolf and Andrick, 1978; Pooler, 2003). Of The ruggedness and low-maintenance fabric in an outdoor research nursery at the these, however, less than 10 species have requirements of crape myrtles both in pro- Texas A & M Research and Extension Center been cultivated as ornamental plants, in par- duction and in the landscape have also been in Dallas, TX. There were a total of five ticular L. indica L., L. fauriei Koehne, L. associated with relatively low insect and completely randomized blocks that included subcostata Koehne, and L. speciosa Pers. disease pressures. The very few insects that one plant of each cultivar per block. Plants of (Pooler, 2006b). Breeding and selection ef- may regularly affect the appearance and the cultivar ‘Sacramento’ (L. indica), which forts in the United States, and specifically performance of crape myrtles include aphids were acquired the previous season and were at the U.S. National Arboretum, have been (Tinocallis kahawaluokalani Kirkaldy), Jap- growing in 12-L containers, became heavily instrumental in the development of modern anese beetle (Popillia japonica Newman), infested 29 May with Altica litigata Fall flea cultivars that have the typical lengthy flower- Florida wax scale (Ceroplastes floridensis beetles (Center et al., 2002) emigrating from ing period during the summer months and a Compsock), azalea bark scale Acanthococcus nearby fields having large wild and cultivated diversity of flower colors as well as disease azaleae Comstock), and several species of populations of evening primroses (Oenothera (powdery mildew) resistance, cold-hardi- flea beetles (Altica spp.) (Byers, 1997; Egolf spp.). On 30 May, one severely flea beetle- ness, showy exfoliating bark, and a range of and Andrick, 1978; Mizell and Knox, 1993). infested ‘Sacramento’ plant was placed in the sizes (from 40 cm to greater than 6 m) and In recent years, there have been numerous middle of each block of the recently trans- growth habits (Pooler, 2003; 2006b). All reports by nursery growers of sudden and planted crape myrtle cultivars. Additional these traits have led to a wide distribution severe damage to young crape myrtle plant- Altica beetles were collected from other and use of crape myrtles throughout south- ings by the Altica flea beetle with some infested plants and scattered evenly over the eastern U.S. gardens (Byers, 1997; Egolf and reports of it becoming a serious pest in plants to increase the infestation potential of Andrick, 1978) and its categorization as a containerized nursery production throughout the plants in the experiment. Thereafter, data ‘‘naturalized’’ U.S. plant (Everett, 1981). the southeastern United States (Braman and were taken for 4 d on the number of beetles van de Mark, 2001; Pettis et al., 2004). A per leaf (average of three leaves per plant) number of cultivated and weedy plants in the and leaf damage (percent of leaves damaged Oenothera, Calylophus, and Ludwigia (prim- on each plant). The observations were made Received for publication 24 Aug. 2007. Accepted rose) family and Lythracea (loostrife) family separately in older and newer leaves. Older for publication 10 Oct. 2007. 1Current address: Department of Plant and Soil are the most common hosts for the primrose leaves were those considered to be fully Science, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX flea beetles (Altica litigata Fall) with both developed (i.e., fully expanded), whereas 79409. adults and larvae damaging the foliage in new leaves were those found in the tips of 2To whom reprint requests should be addressed; these plants (Center et al., 2002; McKenney, the growing shoots (tender, still in expan- e-mail [email protected] Reinert, and Cabrera, unpublished data; sion). Two observers made each rating, HORTSCIENCE VOL. 43(2) APRIL 2008 403 JOBNAME: horts 43#2 2008 PAGE: 2 OUTPUT: February 13 18:20:22 2008 tsp/horts/158649/02530 which were then averaged per plant. Ten combined daily average of 7.4 beetles per damage with 45% and 79% leaf damage to weeks after the end of this study, mineral leaf. Conversely, all the L. fauriei cultivars, old and new leaves, respectively. Most of the analyses were performed in recently matured ‘Kiowa’, ‘Townhouse’, and ‘Fantasy’, had L. fauriei and hybrid crape myrtles had little leaves collected from plants not exposed to the lowest number of beetles per leaf, aver- (less than 10%) to no leaf damage, except the the beetles. The nutrient analyses were done aging less than 1 by day 3. The hybrid cul- hybrid ‘Biloxi’, which had 98% and 17% at the Louisiana State University AgCenter tivars ‘Natchez’, ‘Basham’s Party Pink’, and feeding damage in its older and younger Soil Testing and Plant Laboratory with nitro- ‘Tuscarora’ had similar beetle numbers as the leaves, respectively. Analyses of variance gen measured by dry combustion in a Leco L. fauriei cultivars, except ‘Biloxi’, which and orthogonal contrasts of cultivars grouped CN analyzer (LECO Corp., St. Joseph, MI) had beetle numbers similar to the L. indica according to species confirmed that L. indica and the rest of plant essential elements done cultivars. cultivars were the most significantly infested by inductively coupled plasmaspectroscopy The percentages of leaves showing feed- and damaged by the flea beetles (data not in HNO3-H2O2 tissue digests. ing damage after 3 d basically mirrored the shown). Laboratory no-choice feeding study. observed number of beetles per leaf (Fig. 2) Ten weeks after the end of this study, Recently matured leaves were taken from with ‘Whit II’ (Dynamite), ‘Carolina mineral analyses were conducted in recently terminal shoots of a pest-free block of plants Beauty’, and ‘Dallas Red’ showing damage matured leaves collected from liners (plants) containing seven of the Lagerstroemia culti- in greater than 90% of both their older and not exposed to the beetles. The delay in vars used in the previous study. These leaves new foliage. These were followed by ‘Whit conducting the tissue analyses was the result were used to bioassay the flea beetle adults IV’ (Red Rocket), which, within the L. indica of the need to have sufficient leaf tissue mass in a no-choice laboratory experiment.