OVERWINTERING BIOLOGY OF THE GLASSY-WINGED SHARPSHOOTER AND GONATOCERUS ASHMEADI

• Author(s): Mizell, Russell; Tipping, Christopher; Brodbeck, Brent;
• Abstract: The Glassy-winged Sharpshooter, Homalodisca coagulata (Say), is found throughout southeastern US and regions of California. It has 2 distinct generations per season. The majority of adult females overwinter in a reproductive diapause. Targeted dissections of female H. coagulata reared at a photoperiod of 13:11 at 23-29oC indicated all females were in reproductive diapause. Seventy-five percent of females reared at a photoperiod of 13.5:10.5 at 23-29oC entered reproductive diapause, perhaps indicating that photoperiod can be modified by temperature as the trigger responsible for physiological changes associated with reproductive diapause. Diapause can be broken by placing females at a 11:13 photoperiod (15-17 C) for 21d followed by exposure to mid-summer environmental conditions. Additionally, parasitism of H. coagulata eggs by Gonatocerus spp. peaked sharply in early April 2004 and remained at 100% until the last week of September 2004. Finally, short-day photoperiod did not effect development or host seeking behavior of G. ashmeadi.
• Publication Date: Dec 2004
• Journal: 2004 Pierce's Disease Research Symposium