Nezara viridula (Linnaeus) morphs from India and the United States were studied in a laboratory comparison of feeding preferences for pods of soybeans, Glycine max, and green beans, Phaseolus vulgaris. Adults of a morph from the U.S. apparently selected pods at random, while three sympatric morphs from India generally preferred green bean pods

Armbrust, Edward J

DeWitt, Jerald R

English

Valparaiso University

The Great Lakes Entomologist Volume 11 Number 1 - Spring 1978 Number 1 - Spring 1978 Article 9 April 1978 Feeding Preference Studies of Adult Nezara Viridula (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) Morphs from India and the United States Jerald R. DeWitt Iowa State University of Science and Technology Edward J. Armbrust Illinois Natural History Survey and Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle Part of the Entomology Commons Recommended Citation DeWitt, Jerald R. and Armbrust, Edward J. 1978. "Feeding Preference Studies of Adult Nezara Viridula (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) Morphs from India and the United States," The Great Lakes Entomologist, vol 11 (1) Available at: https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle/vol11/iss1/9 This Peer-Review Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of Biology at ValpoScholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Great Lakes Entomologist by an authorized administrator of ValpoScholar. For more information, please contact a ValpoScholar staff member at scholar@valpo.edu. THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGlST FEEDING PREFERENCE STUDIES OF ADULT NEZARA VlRlDULA (HEMIPTERA: PENTATOMIDAE) MORPHS FROM INDIA AND THE UNITED STATES Jerald R. ~ e ~ i t t l and Edward J. ~ r m b r u s t ~ ABSTRACT Nezara viridula (Linnaeus) morphs from India and the United States were studied in a laboratory comparison of feeding preferences for pods of soybeans, Glycine max, and green beans, Phaseolus vulgaris. Adults of a morph from the U.S. apparently selected pods at random, while three sympatric morphs from India generally preferred green bean pods. Nezara viridula (Linnaeus), the southern green stink bug, is a polymorphic pest of cosmopolitan distribution. Although nine distinct morphs of adults (f. = forma) showing variations in color have been described, only three morphs are relatively common (Yukawa and Kiritani, 1965; Singh, 1972). In North America only a single morph f. smaragdula, is found, but in Asia several sympatric morphs are common: f. smaragdula, f. viridula, and f. torquata. N. viridula is a polyphagous feeder attacking a wide variety of hosts including at least 27 legume species (Hoffman, 1935). Soybeans, Glycine max, in the United States suffer economic damage from this pest (Kilpatrick and Hartwig, 1955; Miner, 1961). Singh (1972) reported that soybeans are suitable, and at times preferred hosts for N. viridula in India. Few studies have been reported citing differences between N. viridula morphs. Kiritani (1970) concluded that f. smaragdula, f. viridula, f. torquata and a fourth type from Japan did not show appreciable differences in survival rate, developmental period of nymphs, fresh body weight of adults, or pre-oviposition period. It was reported that f. smaragdulq may be superior to other morphs in reproductive ability but inferior to f. viridula and f. torquata in overwintering survival. DeWitt and Armbrust (1973) showed that allopatric f. smaragdula from the U.S. and Asia did not differ in weight and body width and length, but both were larger than f. torquata and f. viridula from Asia. One adult morph from the United States and the three adult morphs from India were studied in a laboratory comparison of feeding preferences and frequencies on the pods of various legumes and the results are reported here. MATERIALS AND METHODS Adults were reared as nymphs on garden green bean Phaseolus vulgaris, pods, in clear plastic containers 13.5 cm tall by 11 cm diam, and were maintained at 26' l0C, 15 hour light photoperiod, 60-70% relative humitity. Adults to be studied were randomly selected from cages containing individuals 5 to 15 days old. All adults were held without food for 12 hours before the initiation of the test. The test arena was a 15-cm-diam clear glass petri dish. Within the arena, four sections of legume pods (each 2.5 cm long) were placed in the four quadrants on a piece of filter paper. Each test consisted of two standard green bean pods at opposite sides in the arena and two soybean pods which were placed in the remaining two quadrants. An adult N. l~ssocia te Professor Entomology, Dept. Entomology, Iowa State University of Science and Technology, Ames, Iowa 50011. 2~ssociate Professor of Entomology, Illinois Natural History Survey and lllinois Agricultural Experiment Station, Urbana 6 1801. 1DeWitt and Armbrust: Feeding Preference Studies of Adult Nezara Viridula (HemipPublished by ValpoScholar, 197868 THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST Vol. 11, No. 1 viridula was placed within the test arena, and the lid was set in place. The insect was allowed to adjust to the test arena for one hour before observations were initiated. Ten consecutive observations were made at 112-hour intervals. The feeding of the insect on any pod was recorded at each observation. Nine varieties of succulent soybean pods were tested: Harosoy-N (normal pubescence), Harosoy-D (dense pubescence), Clark-N (normal pubescence), Clark-D (dense pubescence), Hill, PI 171451, PI 227687, PI 243519, and PI 243525. To determine pod preference between each soybean variety and green beans, Chi-square comparisons were made for each morph and for all morphs combined. Chi-square comparisons also were used to indicate general preference for green bean or soybeans without regard for variety. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION After data were analyzed, the feeding responses were reported as a) preference for the standard or .green bean pod (G), b) preference for the test or soybean pod (S). or c) no preference for either pod (np). Comparisons (Table 1) showed that more morphs generally preferred feeding on the standard or green bean pod than on the test or soybean pod. Morphs preferred the green bean pod in five of nine varietal tests. However. when PI227687 and PI243519 were tested, most morphs preferred the test pod or soybean pod over the standard. The latter pod was unusually large and was sliced to approximately the size of the standard or green bean pod. Perhaps increased volatility of certain chemicals present in the sliced pod caused the observed response. In two tests (varieties Clark-D and Hill) preference was not indicated by most morphs. The strongest overall indication of green bean pod preference was when PI243525 was tested. Only one morph, f. smaragdlcla from the U.S. , readily fed on this pod while all other morphs preferred the standard. Comparisons for combined soybean varieties for each morph indicated that only f. smaragdlcla from the U.S. did not show significant deviations in preference. These data indicate that the U.S. morph selected the host pods at random in these tests. The same morph from India and f. viridula and f. torquata did not select hosts a t random, but significantly preferred the standard or green bean pod. These data suggest that the f. smaragdula population from the U.S. may tend to accept a different host more readily than most morphs from India. It did not show a preference in seven of nine tests. The U.S. morph, if confronted with a choice bera-een soybean and green bean pods, may more readily feed on the soybean pod than any of the Indian morphs. One Indian morph, f. viridula, preferred soybean pods in t h e e tests Table 1. Comparisons of adult Nezara viridzila morphs feeding on pods of soybeans G t ~ c i n e max, and green beans, Phaseolus vulgaris. Preference by N. viridula morphs Soybean All variety f. smaragdula (Asia) f. smaragdula (U.S.) f. viridula f. torquata morphs Harosoy-N G Harosoy-D G Clark-N G Clark-D nP Hill G PI 171451 nP PI 227687 S PI 243519 nP PI 243525 G S = Glycine max, G = Pllaseolus vulgaris, np = no preference. Preferences are significant at 0.05 level. 2The Great Lakes Entomologist, Vol. 11, No. 1 [1978], Art. 9https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle/vol11/iss1/91978 THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST 69 and fed on both soybean and green bean pods at random in three other tests. These data suggest that this morph may be more similar to the U.S. morph in host feeding than f. smaragdr~la and f. torquota from India. All Indian morphs, however, did prefer soybeans in at least one test. Singh (1972) observed that soybeans are fed on in central India by N. viridula morphs when this crop fills a gap between the maturation of green gram and fruiting of red gram. He indicated' that the insect did not move into the field until fruiting structures appeared. DeWitt (1972) observed that f. smaragdula from the U.S. did not mate or oviposit when fed only nonfruiting structures of soybean leaves or celery in the laboratory. Although N. viridula is considered to be a polyphagous insect (Hoffman, 1935) a morph which more readily accepts different hosts may have a competitive advantage in dispersion and establishment in new regions. The spread of the southern green stinkbug has been marked by the initial observation of only f. smaragdula in almost all new regions of expansion. The initial record of this insect in the western hemisphere was of f. smaragdula in the West Indies in 1798 (Fabricius, 1798). This was followed by this morph's discovery in Cuba in 1857 (Sagra, 1857). The first observation in the U.S. was of f. smaragdula in Texas in 1880 (Distant, 1880). Although data from this study show that f. viridula from India may be similar to f. smaragdula from U.S. in host preference, DeWitt (1972) observed that the latter morph possesses greater fertility and fecundity than the former morph. These factors, perhaps, would tend to negate the ability of f. viridula to readily accept a new host and successfully establish in a new region. LITERATURE CITED DeWitt, J . R. 1972. Polymorphic variation of Nezara viridula (L.), the southern green stink bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). Ph.D. Thesis. Univ. of Ill. DeWitt, J . R. and E. J . Armbrust. 1973. Polymorphic size variation of adult Nezara viridula (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). Ann. Entomol. Soc. Amer. 66:555-6. Distant, W. L. 1880. Insecta, Rhynchota. Hemiptera-Heteroptera. Biologica Centrali- Americana. London. 1. Fabricius, J. C. 1798. Entomologiae systematicae supplementum emendata et aucta. Secundum classes ordines, genera, species, adiectis, synonymis, locis, observationibus. Proft et Storch, Hafniae. Hoffman, W. E. 1935. The foodplants of Nezara viridula 'Linn. (Hem. Pent.). Proc. VI Int. Congr. Entomol. Madrid 6:8 11-8 16. Kilpatrick, R. A. and E. E. Hartwk. 1955. Fungus infection of soybean seed as influenced by stinkbug injury. Plant Dis. Rep. 39:177-80. Kiritani, R. 1970. Studies on the adult polymorphism in the southern green stink bug, Nezara viridula (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). Res. Pop. Ecol. 12: 19-34. Miner, F. 1961. Stink bug damage to soybeans. Ark. Farm Res. 10: 12. Sagra, R. D. de la. 1857. Historia fisica, politica y natural de la isla de Cuba. Segunda pate . Historia natural crustaceos, aracnides e insectos. Maude y Renou, Paris 7. Singh, Z. 1972. Bionomics of the southern green stinkbug, Nezara viridula Linn. (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in central India. Ph.D. Thesis, Univ. of Ill. Yukawa, J . and K. Kiritani. 1965. Polymorphism in the southern green stink bug. Pac. Insects 7:63942. 3DeWitt and Armbrust: Feeding Preference Studies of Adult Nezara Viridula (HemipPublished by ValpoScholar, 1978

Feeding Preference Studies of Adult \u3ci\u3eNezara Viridula\u3c/i\u3e (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) Morphs from India and the United States

ValpoScholar

The Great Lakes Entomologist 
Volume 11 
Number 1 - Spring 1978 Number 1 - Spring 1978 Article 9 
April 1978 
Feeding Preference Studies of Adult Nezara Viridula (Hemiptera: 
Pentatomidae) Morphs from India and the United States 
Jerald R. DeWitt 
Iowa State University of Science and Technology 
Edward J. Armbrust 
Illinois Natural History Survey and Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station 
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle 
 Part of the Entomology Commons 
Recommended Citation 
DeWitt, Jerald R. and Armbrust, Edward J. 1978. "Feeding Preference Studies of Adult Nezara Viridula 
(Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) Morphs from India and the United States," The Great Lakes Entomologist, vol 
11 (1) 
Available at: https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle/vol11/iss1/9 
This Peer-Review Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of Biology at ValpoScholar. 
It has been accepted for inclusion in The Great Lakes Entomologist by an authorized administrator of ValpoScholar. 
For more information, please contact a ValpoScholar staff member at scholar@valpo.edu. 
THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGlST 
FEEDING PREFERENCE STUDIES OF ADULT 
NEZARA VlRlDULA (HEMIPTERA: PENTATOMIDAE) 
MORPHS FROM INDIA AND THE UNITED STATES 
Jerald R. ~ e ~ i t t l and Edward J. ~ r m b r u s t ~ 
ABSTRACT 
Nezara viridula (Linnaeus) morphs from India and the United States were studied in a 
laboratory comparison of feeding preferences for pods of soybeans, Glycine max, and 
green beans, Phaseolus vulgaris. Adults of a morph from the U.S. apparently selected 
pods at random, while three sympatric morphs from India generally preferred green bean 
pods. 
Nezara viridula (Linnaeus), the southern green stink bug, is a polymorphic pest of 
cosmopolitan distribution. Although nine distinct morphs of adults (f. = forma) showing 
variations in color have been described, only three morphs are relatively common 
(Yukawa and Kiritani, 1965; Singh, 1972). In North America only a single morph f. 
smaragdula, is found, but in Asia several sympatric morphs are common: f. smaragdula, f. 
viridula, and f. torquata. 
N. viridula is a polyphagous feeder attacking a wide variety of hosts including at least 
27 legume species (Hoffman, 1935). Soybeans, Glycine max, in the United States suffer 
economic damage from this pest (Kilpatrick and Hartwig, 1955; Miner, 1961). Singh 
(1972) reported that soybeans are suitable, and at times preferred hosts for N. viridula in 
India. 
Few studies have been reported citing differences between N. viridula morphs. Kiritani 
(1970) concluded that f. smaragdula, f. viridula, f. torquata and a fourth type from Japan 
did not show appreciable differences in survival rate, developmental period of nymphs, 
fresh body weight of adults, or pre-oviposition period. It was reported that f. smaragdulq 
may be superior to other morphs in reproductive ability but inferior to f. viridula and f. 
torquata in overwintering survival. DeWitt and Armbrust (1973) showed that allopatric f. 
smaragdula from the U.S. and Asia did not differ in weight and body width and length, 
but both were larger than f. torquata and f. viridula from Asia. 
One adult morph from the United States and the three adult morphs from India were 
studied in a laboratory comparison of feeding preferences and frequencies on the pods of 
various legumes and the results are reported here. 
MATERIALS AND METHODS 
Adults were reared as nymphs on garden green bean Phaseolus vulgaris, pods, in clear 
plastic containers 13.5 cm tall by 11 cm diam, and were maintained at 26' l0C, 15 
hour light photoperiod, 60-70% relative humitity. Adults to be studied were randomly 
selected from cages containing individuals 5 to 15 days old. All adults were held without 
food for 12 hours before the initiation of the test. 
The test arena was a 15-cm-diam clear glass petri dish. Within the arena, four sections 
of legume pods (each 2.5 cm long) were placed in the four quadrants on a piece of filter 
paper. Each test consisted of two standard green bean pods at opposite sides in the arena 
and two soybean pods which were placed in the remaining two quadrants. An adult N. 
l~ssocia te Professor Entomology, Dept. Entomology, Iowa State University of 
Science and Technology, Ames, Iowa 50011. 
2~ssociate Professor of Entomology, Illinois Natural History Survey and lllinois 
Agricultural Experiment Station, Urbana 6 1801. 
1
DeWitt and Armbrust: Feeding Preference Studies of Adult Nezara Viridula (Hemip
Published by ValpoScholar, 1978
68 THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST Vol. 11, No. 1 
viridula was placed within the test arena, and the lid was set in place. The insect was 
allowed to adjust to the test arena for one hour before observations were initiated. Ten 
consecutive observations were made at 112-hour intervals. The feeding of the insect on 
any pod was recorded at each observation. 
Nine varieties of succulent soybean pods were tested: Harosoy-N (normal pubescence), 
Harosoy-D (dense pubescence), Clark-N (normal pubescence), Clark-D (dense pubescence), 
Hill, PI 171451, PI 227687, PI 243519, and PI 243525. 
To determine pod preference between each soybean variety and green beans, 
Chi-square comparisons were made for each morph and for all morphs combined. 
Chi-square comparisons also were used to indicate general preference for green bean or 
soybeans without regard for variety. 
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 
After data were analyzed, the feeding responses were reported as a) preference for the 
standard or .green bean pod (G), b) preference for the test or soybean pod (S). or c) no 
preference for either pod (np). Comparisons (Table 1) showed that more morphs 
generally preferred feeding on the standard or green bean pod than on the test or 
soybean pod. Morphs preferred the green bean pod in five of nine varietal tests. However. 
when PI227687 and PI243519 were tested, most morphs preferred the test pod or 
soybean pod over the standard. The latter pod was unusually large and was sliced to 
approximately the size of the standard or green bean pod. Perhaps increased volatility of 
certain chemicals present in the sliced pod caused the observed response. In two tests 
(varieties Clark-D and Hill) preference was not indicated by most morphs. The strongest 
overall indication of green bean pod preference was when PI243525 was tested. Only one 
morph, f. smaragdlcla from the U.S. , readily fed on this pod while all other morphs 
preferred the standard. 
Comparisons for combined soybean varieties for each morph indicated that only f. 
smaragdlcla from the U.S. did not show significant deviations in preference. These data 
indicate that the U.S. morph selected the host pods at random in these tests. The same 
morph from India and f. viridula and f. torquata did not select hosts a t random, but 
significantly preferred the standard or green bean pod. 
These data suggest that the f. smaragdula population from the U.S. may tend to 
accept a different host more readily than most morphs from India. It did not show a 
preference in seven of nine tests. The U.S. morph, if confronted with a choice bera-een 
soybean and green bean pods, may more readily feed on the soybean pod than any of 
the Indian morphs. One Indian morph, f. viridula, preferred soybean pods in t h e e tests 
Table 1. Comparisons of adult Nezara viridzila morphs feeding on pods of soybeans G t ~ c i n e 
max, and green beans, Phaseolus vulgaris. 
Preference by N. viridula morphs 
Soybean All 
variety f. smaragdula (Asia) f. smaragdula (U.S.) f. viridula f. torquata morphs 
Harosoy-N G 
Harosoy-D G 
Clark-N G 
Clark-D nP 
Hill G 
PI 171451 nP 
PI 227687 S 
PI 243519 nP 
PI 243525 G 
S = Glycine max, G = Pllaseolus vulgaris, np = no preference. Preferences are significant at 
0.05 level. 
2
The Great Lakes Entomologist, Vol. 11, No. 1 [1978], Art. 9
https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle/vol11/iss1/9
1978 THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST 69 
and fed on both soybean and green bean pods at random in three other tests. These data 
suggest that this morph may be more similar to the U.S. morph in host feeding than f. 
smaragdr~la and f. torquota from India. All Indian morphs, however, did prefer soybeans 
in at least one test. Singh (1972) observed that soybeans are fed on in central India by N. 
viridula morphs when this crop fills a gap between the maturation of green gram and 
fruiting of red gram. He indicated' that the insect did not move into the field until 
fruiting structures appeared. DeWitt (1972) observed that f. smaragdula from the U.S. did 
not mate or oviposit when fed only nonfruiting structures of soybean leaves or celery in 
the laboratory. 
Although N. viridula is considered to be a polyphagous insect (Hoffman, 1935) a 
morph which more readily accepts different hosts may have a competitive advantage in 
dispersion and establishment in new regions. The spread of the southern green stinkbug 
has been marked by the initial observation of only f. smaragdula in almost all new 
regions of expansion. The initial record of this insect in the western hemisphere was of f. 
smaragdula in the West Indies in 1798 (Fabricius, 1798). This was followed by this 
morph's discovery in Cuba in 1857 (Sagra, 1857). The first observation in the U.S. was 
of f. smaragdula in Texas in 1880 (Distant, 1880). Although data from this study show 
that f. viridula from India may be similar to f. smaragdula from U.S. in host preference, 
DeWitt (1972) observed that the latter morph possesses greater fertility and fecundity 
than the former morph. These factors, perhaps, would tend to negate the ability of f. 
viridula to readily accept a new host and successfully establish in a new region. 
LITERATURE CITED 
DeWitt, J . R. 1972. Polymorphic variation of Nezara viridula (L.), the southern green 
stink bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). Ph.D. Thesis. Univ. of Ill. 
DeWitt, J . R. and E. J . Armbrust. 1973. Polymorphic size variation of adult Nezara 
viridula (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). Ann. Entomol. Soc. Amer. 66:555-6. 
Distant, W. L. 1880. Insecta, Rhynchota. Hemiptera-Heteroptera. Biologica Centrali- 
Americana. London. 1. 
Fabricius, J. C. 1798. Entomologiae systematicae supplementum emendata et aucta. 
Secundum classes ordines, genera, species, adiectis, synonymis, locis, observationibus. 
Proft et Storch, Hafniae. 
Hoffman, W. E. 1935. The foodplants of Nezara viridula 'Linn. (Hem. Pent.). Proc. VI 
Int. Congr. Entomol. Madrid 6:8 11-8 16. 
Kilpatrick, R. A. and E. E. Hartwk. 1955. Fungus infection of soybean seed as 
influenced by stinkbug injury. Plant Dis. Rep. 39:177-80. 
Kiritani, R. 1970. Studies on the adult polymorphism in the southern green stink bug, 
Nezara viridula (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). Res. Pop. Ecol. 12: 19-34. 
Miner, F. 1961. Stink bug damage to soybeans. Ark. Farm Res. 10: 12. 
Sagra, R. D. de la. 1857. Historia fisica, politica y natural de la isla de Cuba. Segunda 
pate . Historia natural crustaceos, aracnides e insectos. Maude y Renou, Paris 7. 
Singh, Z. 1972. Bionomics of the southern green stinkbug, Nezara viridula Linn. 
(Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in central India. Ph.D. Thesis, Univ. of Ill. 
Yukawa, J . and K. Kiritani. 1965. Polymorphism in the southern green stink bug. Pac. 
Insects 7:63942. 
3
DeWitt and Armbrust: Feeding Preference Studies of Adult Nezara Viridula (Hemip
Published by ValpoScholar, 1978

https://scholar.valpo.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1321&amp;context=tgle

Feeding Preference Studies of Adult \u3ci\u3eNezara Viridula\u3c/i\u3e (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) Morphs from India and the United States

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