Damage assessment and alternate host plants of sorghum panicle-feeding bugs

Typescript (photocopy).Five species of panicle--feeding bugs were found in commercial sorghum in southeast central Texas: Rice stink bug (Oebalus pugnax F.), southern green stink bug (Nezara viridu la L.), leaffooted bug (Leptoglossus phyllopus L .), redshouldered stink bug (Thyanta accerra McAtee) and brown stink bug (Euschistus serves Say). A number of alternate host plan t species were potential sources of bugs prior to and during sorghum grain development. Alternate hosts which were commonly found growing near sorghum and which were usually infested with bugs included johnsongrass, dallisgrass, oats (rice stink bug) and Texas thistle (leaffooted bug, southern green stink bug, redshouldered stink bug). The hyaline grass bug, Liorhyssus hvalinus F., migrated into sorghum in research plots after commercial sorghum in the area had been harvested. A panicle--feeding bug species common in sorghum in western Texas, the conchuela stink bug (Chlorochroa ligata Say), was not collected in sorghum in southeast central Texas. ..