Lygus rugulipennis on chrysanthemum : Supplemental prey effects and an evaluation of trap plants

The European tarnished plant bug, Lygus rugulipennis Poppius, is considered a major pest in chrysanthemum nurseries in The Netherlands. Adults puncture plant's apical meristem, after which the growing point splits and growth is inhibited. Flower buds and flowers can also be severely damaged. Both types of damage result in economic losses for growers. Despite the importance of this pest for chrysanthemum nurseries, there is only very limited information about L. rugulipennis development on chrysanthemum plants, Chrysanthemum × morifolium Ramat., and whether L. rugulipennis can be controlled using trap plants is not known. We investigated whether: (1) L. rugulipennis could develop from egg to…