Kudzu Bug Preference Across Four Soybean Varieties

Abstract

The kudzu bug,Megacopta cribraria,was first discovered in Georgia in 2009. Soybeans are a profitable agricultural crop and a host plant for kudzu bugs. The purpose of this experiment was to determine if kudzu bugs would exhibit a preference between rhizobia-inoculated and un-inoculated treatments across four different soybean varieties (Butterbean, Viking, Black jet, and Tohya). Rhizobia bacteria allow nodulation and nitrogen fixation in soybeans. Kudzu bug preference was determined by placing 6-10 kudzu bugs into a bug dorm with one inoculated and one uninoculated plant. Soybean varieties were examined separately. For two days, the number of kudzu bugs present on each plant was counted and recorded twice a day. There was no significant difference in preference between inoculated and control treatments for tohya. Kudzu bugs significantly preferred inoculated black jet and viking and uninoculated butterbean soybean varieties. It was expected that kudzu bugs would have preferred inoculated soybeans across all varieties; however, the varied preferences in the experiment was unexpected because soybeans with nodules are assumed to have a higher nutritional content than those without.

Session Name:

Poster Presentation Session #1 - Poster #15

Start Date

10-4-2015 11:30 AM

End Date

10-4-2015 12:15 PM

Location

HSB 3rd Floor Student Commons

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Apr 10th, 11:30 AM Apr 10th, 12:15 PM

Kudzu Bug Preference Across Four Soybean Varieties

HSB 3rd Floor Student Commons

The kudzu bug,Megacopta cribraria,was first discovered in Georgia in 2009. Soybeans are a profitable agricultural crop and a host plant for kudzu bugs. The purpose of this experiment was to determine if kudzu bugs would exhibit a preference between rhizobia-inoculated and un-inoculated treatments across four different soybean varieties (Butterbean, Viking, Black jet, and Tohya). Rhizobia bacteria allow nodulation and nitrogen fixation in soybeans. Kudzu bug preference was determined by placing 6-10 kudzu bugs into a bug dorm with one inoculated and one uninoculated plant. Soybean varieties were examined separately. For two days, the number of kudzu bugs present on each plant was counted and recorded twice a day. There was no significant difference in preference between inoculated and control treatments for tohya. Kudzu bugs significantly preferred inoculated black jet and viking and uninoculated butterbean soybean varieties. It was expected that kudzu bugs would have preferred inoculated soybeans across all varieties; however, the varied preferences in the experiment was unexpected because soybeans with nodules are assumed to have a higher nutritional content than those without.