Submitted to: Ornamental Workshop on Diseases and Insects
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: October 14, 2008
Publication Date: November 14, 2008
Citation: Kirker, G.T., Boyd, D.W., Pounders Jr, C.T., Sampson, B.J., Spiers, J.M. 2008. "Built-In" Plant Protection: Screening Azalea Cultivars for Resistance to the Azalea Lace Bug, Stephanitis pyrioides. Ornamental Workshop on Diseases and Insects poster. Technical Abstract: Azalea Lace bug (ALB) are a major pest of azaleas in the southeast. Adults and nymphs cause visible damage on the upper leaf surface. Host plant resistance to ALB provides “built-in” plant protection and allows for reduced dependency on pesticide applications for both growers and consumers. We have observed that “Fourth of July” (male seed parent of the Encore Autumn™ azalea series) appears resistant to ALB. In this study, 33 commercially available azalea cultivars were screened in laboratory bioassays to determine ALB preference to these selected cultivars . The rankings below are based on our results.