Effect Of Orius insidiosus (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) And Spinosad (Conserve®) On Western Flower Thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), Populations In Transvaal Daisy Flowers

Western flower thrips (WFT), Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), is a major insect pest of greenhouse-grown horticultural crops. Greenhouse producers typically apply insecticides to suppress WFT populations. However, continual reliance on insecticides can lead to the development of resistant in WFT populations. The insidious flower bug, Orius insidiosus (Say) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae), is a commercially available predatory bug of WFT that offers an alternative to using insecticides for WFT suppression. Therefore, we investigated the efficacy of one or two O. insidiosus adults compared to spray applications of the standard insecticide, spinosad (Conserve®) in suppressing WFT adult populations in transvaal daisy (Gerbera jamesonii), cut-flowers under greenhouse conditions. Percent adult WFT mortality was significantly lower when one or two O. insidiosus adults were released into the flowers (mean range: 32 to 34%; n=747), compared to the untreated and water control (8 to 9%; n=431). The highest percent mortality of WFT adults was associated with the spinosad (Conserve®) treatment (100%; n= 203)

Effects of Different Sterilization Rinses on Germination of Hemp, Cannabis Sativa, for Tissue Culture

Hemp, Cannabis sativa, is a plant valued for its medicinal properties, fiber, and oil. While the hemp industry has grown significantly in the past years, a protocol for its tissue culture has not been publicly established. Tissue culture allows for regeneration of plants in a controlled, sterile environment while utilizing less space. Since creating a sterile environment is critical to a successful tissue culture, this study focused on the effects of different sterilization methods on contamination and germination of hemp seeds. The different sterilization rinses tested were water (control), 5% hydrogen peroxide, 70% ethanol, 20% bleach, 30% bleach, 40% bleach, and 50% bleach solutions. One of these solutions was applied to a group of hemp seeds. Within each group one third was rinsed in the solution for 5 minutes, another third for 10 minutes, and the last third for 15 minutes. The seeds were then placed onto germination media and left to germinate in a growth chamber for one week. The 20% bleach rinse for 10 minutes generated the lowest contamination rate, 4.5%, while maintaining the highest germination rate, 77.3%. Excluding the control, the 70% ethanol rinses for 5 and 10 minutes had two of the highest contamination rates and the two lowest germination rates. These results provide preliminary information about sterilization of hemp seeds for tissue culture. Once a reliable hemp tissue culture protocol is fully developed it will provide hemp growers with a dependable method to produce quality, disease free hemp

Differential Hessian fly (Mayetiola destructor) reactions in resistant and susceptible wheat cultivars

Hessian fly is a serious chronic wheat, barley and rye pest, that causes huge economical damage in the US every year. The goal of study was to investigate how the Hessian fly resistant wheat differs from the susceptible wheat after the infestation? Our result showed that the hessian can grow and develop in susceptible wheat, but die in resistant plants. We found differences in protein profiles in host plants when we compare the feeding site vs non-feeding site samples on HPLC. This experiment is important to understand the genetic differences between susceptible and resistant crops and differences in gene expression after the hessian fly injected its saliva. The result of this experiment helps understanding on how the hessian fly manipulates host plants for its benefit

Analysis of the Effects of Hessian Fly (Mayetiola destructor) Parasitism on Resistant and Susceptible of Wheat Protein Synthesis

Hessian flys have caused a large amount of damage to Kansas winter wheat for over 130 years.(R. Je_ Whitworth et. al. 2009). Once wheat is parasitized the larva move from the leaves to the collar of the wheat stock where feeding occurs (Dr. Ming Chen 2017). The feeding of the larva involves the injection of saliva. This saliva is used to fundamentally change the genetics of the wheat to benefit the larva. When infected the wheat increases sugar production to feed the larva. Not only is the function of the wheat changed but also its form. The saliva also causes malformed cell growth with perforated cell membranes. This allows for easier transfers of sugars to the feeding larva (Dr. Ming Chen 2017). The end effect of the parasitism is the weakening and death of the wheat plant before the production of wheat grain can occur. (Whitworth et. al. 2009