Breeding towards Increased Resistance to Cotton Fleahopper (Hemiptera: Miridae)

Cotton fleahopper (Pseudatomoscelis seriatus) (Hemiptera: Miridae) is a piercing-sucking insect that has emerged as a major pest in the Texas cotton industry over the past decade. Cotton fleahopper feeding results in square abscission and damage and subsequently, yield-loss. Previous studies in Gossypium hirsutum indicate that plant trichome density plays an important role in conferring resistance to cotton fleahopper, but the mechanism of resistance remains largely unknown. In this project, three families of potentially resistant lines and two high-yielding lines were screened for resistance to cotton fleahopper under field infestation levels. Genotypes screened exhibited pubescences ranging from smooth to pilose. Plants were screened in College Station and Corpus Christi, TX, and square-mapping was used as the primary tool by which to monitor responses to cotton fleahopper feeding pressure.