A flea beetle of the genus Altica has become a serious pest in containerized production of crapemyrtle in the Southeast within the past five years. Both adults and larvae damage the leaves of a number of cultivated and weedy plants in the Onagracea and Lythracea families. However, only the adult flea beetle has become a pest on Lagerstroemia. Adult Altica feed on the young leaves of crapemyrtle creating a shot hole appearance and, when present in large numbers, may completely defoliate containerized plants, rendering them unsalable. Because substantial populations of the adult beetles may appear suddenly, chemical treatments have been the primary method of control. Field observations and preliminary trials have indicated that certain cultivars of Lagerstroemia may demonstrate varying levels of susceptibility to attack and subsequent damage by Altica spp. Twenty-two cultivars of crapemyrtle were evaluated in field and laboratory trials in 2001 for potential resistance to this emerging pest. To date, the range of resistance among Lagerstroemia cultivars to Altica spp.has not been evaluated. Significant differences among the selected cultivars were found, with some cultivars exhibiting complete resistance to leaf feeding damage. Results of these trials will enable nursery growers to scout and treat for this emerging ornamental pest more judiciously.
Species 1: Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae
Keywords: none
The ESA 2001 Annual Meeting - 2001: An Entomological Odyssey of ESA