The Effects of Manipulating Cotton Fungal Endophytes in the Field On Arthropod Community Structure

Negative effects on herbivorous insects have been observed in various plant species due to the presence of beneficial fungal endophytes in controlled greenhouse conditions. However, interactions of both pest and beneficial insects with fungal endophyte-treated cotton have yet to be examined in the field. Cotton plants inoculated by seed treatments with two endophytes identified as strain A and Strain B, along with uninoculated controls were planted in a replicated, randomized block design during the 2012 cotton growing season at the Agrilife Experimental Extension Field Lab, located in College Station, Texas. Whole arthropod communities were collected at three plant developmental stages: cotyledon, third true leaf, and 50% squaring by washing entire excised cotton plants and collecting removed arthropods on a sieve. Community structure of beneficial and pest arthropods was compared between treatments, as well as over time. The effect of each treatment on specific insect populations was also examined.