Movement of grape mealybug, Pseudococcus maritimus, on and between host plants

Abstract

The importance of the grape mealybug, Pseudococcus maritimus (Ehrhorn) (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae), as a pest of wine grapes, Vitis vinifera L. (Vitaceae), has increased as a result of recent reports that it is capable of transmitting at least one of the viruses associated with grapevine leafroll disease. However, its natural rate of movement between host plants – and hence its role in the epidemiology of this disease – is poorly understood. In order to better assess the risk of field spread of leafroll disease by this insect, several experiments were conducted to determine the extent to which P. maritimus can move between grape plants, both by walking and by airborne dispersal. In experiments with first instars, both field and shade‐house studies indicated that the mealybugs do not walk far and only very rarely reach adjacent plants by this means. Field trapping experiments showed that grape mealybugs can be dispersed by wind, but that there is a marked decline in numbers with increasing distance from the source plant. The implications of these observations for the field spread and management of grapevine leafroll disease are discussed.

Citrus Mealybug (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) Movement and Population Dynamics in an Arbor-Trained Vineyard

“…This is consistent with the results of Grasswitz and James (2008) obtained for Ps. maritimus, i.e., little movement of mealybugs by walking from plant to plant and preference of mealybugs for concealed locations.…”

“…Nevertheless speciÞc movements throughout the canopy may take place during possible population explosions. Moreover, other possible means of movement from plant to plant may exist: ants may transport the mealybugs from plant to plant (Rohrbach et al 1988, Helms andVinson 2002), the mealybugs may be transported by the wind or agricultural practices such as spraying (Martṍnez-Ferrer et al 2003, Sforza et al 2003, Grasswitz and James 2008, and mealybugs may move along the soil after falling from the canopy alone or with the leaves or with the pruning remains (Bodenheimer 1951). Lo et al (2006) and Grasswitz & James (2008) also studied the role played by the wind on the movement of the grape mealybug and remarked on the large numbers of crawlers moved in this way in highly infested vineyards.…”

“…The discovery of the ability of mealybugs to transmit the grapevine virus increased the general interest in P. citri and other mealybugs that are vineyard pests. Several studies focused on the biology (Morandi et al 2008), behavior (Geiger and Daane 2001, Lo et al 2006, Grasswitz and James 2008, and detection and control of the mealybugs (Walton et al 2004;Pringle 2004a,b, Bentley et al 2006a,b), and on its role in Þeld virus transmission (Cabaleiro and Segura 1997a, Golino et al 2002, Cabaleiro et al 2008.…”

Population growth and within-plant distribution of the striped mealybug Ferrisia virgata (Cockerell) (Hemiptera, Pseudococcidae) on cotton

“…Understanding the short-range dispersal of mealybugs within or between neighbor plants is as important as long-range dispersal, because it is essential to predict the course of infestation in the field and to define management strategies (Rabkin & Lejeune 1954;Loxdale et al 1993;Barrass et al 1994). The dispersal of Pseudococcus maritimus (Ehrhorn, 1900) (Hemiptera, Pseudococcidae) on grapevines reported by Grasswitz and James (2008) was similar to that of F. virgata on cotton.…”

Reproductive performance of striped mealybug Ferrisia virgata Cockerell (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) on water-stressed cotton plants subjected to nitrogen fertilization

“…The loss of nymphs is especially during the crawler stage, when dispersing over the plant, and could account for the remaining nymphs not reaching adult stage. According to Strickland (1950), Grasswitz and James (2008), and Silva- , several factors can determine the success of F. virgata survival on cotton plants including wind and rain and plant morphology. Regarding the sex ratio, in most mealybugs, it is determined by the parental female (Ross et al 2010).…”