Electronic Monitoring of Feeding Behavior of Phytophagous True Bugs (Heteroptera), 1st ed. 2021 Entomology in Focus Series, Vol. 6

This book compiles for the first time all the current information on the electronic monitoring of the feeding behavior of phytophagous true bugs. It includes state-of-the-art illustrations of feeding sites on the various plant structures, and examines how the different feeding strategies are related to the variable waveforms generated using the electropenetrography (EPG) technique. Further, the book describes the mouthparts and modes of feeding and discusses the physical and chemical damage resulting from feeding activities. Covering in detail all EPG studies developed and conducted using true bugs published to date, it explores the use of electronic monitoring of feeding coupled with histological analyses to improve strategies to control true bugs, from traditional chemical methods to gene silencing (RNAi).

Chapter 1

Introduction to electronic monitoring of the feeding behavior of phytophagous true bugs

1.1  Introduction

1.2  Principles of electrical penetration graph or electropenetrography technique (EPG)

1.3  History of the development of electronic monitoring and comparison of techniques

1.3.1        AC monitor

1.3.2        DC monitor

1.3.3        AC-DC monitor

1.3.4        EMIF technique 

1.4 True bug species studied using EPG

1.4.1 Blissidae

1.4.2 Coreidae

1.4.3 Miridae

1.4.4 Pentatomidae

1.4.5 Plataspidae

1.5 Feeding sites and relationship to waveforms generated using EPG

1.6 Damage to plants resulting from the feeding activity

1.7 Concluding remarks

1.8 References cited

Chapter 2

Mouthparts description and modes of feeding of phytophagous true bugs

2.1 Introduction

2.2 Mouthparts description

2.2.1 The labium

2.2.2 The stylet bundle

2.2.3 Saliva

2.2.4 Foregut  

2.2.5 Penetration into plant tissue

2.3 Strategies of feeding

2.3.1 Historical overview

2.3.2 Salivary sheath strategy

2.3.3 Cell rupture strategy

2.3.3.1 Lacerate-and-flush tactic

2.3.3.2 Macerate-and-flush tactic

2.3.3.3 Puncture-and-suck tactic

2.3.4 Osmotic pump strategy

2.4 Concluding remarks

2.5 References cited

Chapter 3

Feeding sites of true bugs and resulting damage to plants

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Feeding sites of true bugs on plants

3.2.1 Xylem ingestion

3.2.2 Phloem ingestion

3.2.3 Endosperm ingestion

3.2.4 Parenchyma ingestion

3.2.5 Inflorescence and bud feeding

3.3 Damage to plants by true bugs

3.3.1 Damage from salivary sheath feeding

3.3.2 Damage from osmotic pump feeding

3.3.3 Damage from cell-rupture feeding

3.4 Acquisition and inoculation of pathogens during feeding

3.5 Concluding remarks

3.6 References cited

Chapter 4

4.1 Introduction

4.2 EPG research on Pentatomidae using electronic monitoring methods

4.2.1 Dichelops furcatus

4.2.2 Dichelops melacanthus

4.2.3 Edessa meditabunda

4.2.4 Euschistus heros

4.2.5 Halyomorpha halys

4.2.6 Nezara viridula

4.2.7 Piezodorus guildinii

4.2.8 Tibraca limbativentris

4.3 Comparison of EPG waveforms within Pentatomidae

4.4 Concluding remarks

4.5 References cited

Chapter 5

Electronic monitoring of the feeding behavior of Blissidae, Coreidae, Miridae, and Plataspidae

5.1 Introduction

5.2 EPG research on Blissidae

5.3 EPG research on Coreidae

5.4 EPG research on Miridae

5.4.1 Early research with Lygus using the Missouri monitor

5.4.2 Recent research with Lygus using the AC-DC monitor

5.4.3 Recent research with other mirid species

5.4.4 Comparison of EPG waveforms among mirid genera

5.5 EPG research on Plataspidae

5.6 Comparison of EPG waveforms among heteropteran families

5.7 Concluding remarks

5.8 References cited

Chapter 6

EPG procedures for true bugs (Heteroptera)

6.1. Introduction

6.2 Wire attachment techniques

6.2.1 Conductive paint/glue

6.2.2 Sandpapering the pronotum

6.2.3 Methods for restraining bugs during wiring

6.3 Starvation and recording times

6.4 Data analysis

6.5 Monitor performance

6.6 Standardization of variables

6.7 Correlating waveforms with behaviors

6.8 Concluding remarks

6.9 References cited

Role of EPG in developing and assessing control methods for heteropteran crop pests

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Feeding sites

7.3 Insecticides

7.3.1 Contact insecticides

7.3.2 Systemic insecticides

7.4 Predators, parasitoids, entomopathogens, and endosymbionts

7.5 Plant resistance to true bugs

7.6 Toxins expressed by transgenic plants

7.7 Gene silencing by RNAi and implications for true bug control

7.8 Concluding remarks

7.9 References cited

Chapter 8

Perspectives on the use of EPG in electronic monitoring of phytophagous true bugs

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Importance of EPG electronic monitoring to reveal details of feeding behavior

8.3 Importance of EPG electronic monitoring to reveal details of other behaviors

8.4 Plant damage and EPG

8.5 EPG and integrated pest management (IPM)

8.6 Concluding remarks

8.7 References cited

Antônio Ricardo Panizzi received his PhD from the University of Florida, USA and is currently a research entomologist at Embrapa in Brazil. He is an Invited Professor at the Federal University of Paraná, Brazil and at the Universidad de la Republica in Uruguay. He was awarded the ESA International Branch Distinguished Scientist Award, 2017 and served as Editor of the Annals of the Entomological Society of Brazil and Neotropical Entomology, published by Springer. He has also edited/co-edited six books. He served as head of the Entomology Team at Embrapa Soybean Research Center, a consultant for Soybean Entomology Programs in South America and for FAO in Ankara, Turkey, a member of the Agronomy Consult Team for the National Science Foundation of Brazil and an invited scientist at the National Institute of Agro-Environmental Sciences, Tsukuba, Japan. He is an honorary member, president and currently international delegate of the Entomological Society of Brazil.

Tiago Lucini received his PhD from the Federal University of Paraná, Brazil in 2016 and, from 2017 to 2020, was a postdoc at the National Wheat Research Center of Embrapa, Brazil, where he is currently a research assistant. His research interests focus on the bioecology and interactions of heteropterans with their wild and cultivated host plants, and the electrical monitoring of the feeding behavior of stink bugs. He has participated in pioneering publications on the use of EPG on phytophagous pentatomids.

Paula Levin Mitchell received her Ph.D. in Zoology from The University of Texas at Austin (USA) in 1980 and subsequently held a four-year postdoctoral appointment in Entomology at Louisiana State University. After teaching for 25 years in the Biology Department at Winthrop University in South Carolina (USA), she retired as Professor Emerita. She continues to curate the insect collection at Winthrop University and is active in entomological educational outreach

Compiles novel information regarding electronic monitoring of the feeding behavior of true bugs in a single volume

Features detailed illustrations of feeding sites of true bugs on different plant structures and their relationship to waveforms generated using the electropenetrography (EPG) technique

Discusses the use of electronic monitoring of true bug feeding and histological analysis of plant damage to improve pest-control strategies