Specialization of Liriomyza trifolii population on pepper (Diptera: Agromyzidae) in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas

Liriomyza trifolii is an important insect pest of various crops, attacking plants in more than 21 families. Recently, we have found that the L. trifolii on pepper differed in several aspects from those on other host plants in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. In this study, we compared the pepper population with a bean population to determine their host preferences and performances under laboratory conditions. We found that the L. trifolii reared on pepper only completed their lifecycle on pepper; whereas those reared on beans successfully survived and developed on five different host plants. Adult longevity, larvae survival, pupation rate, and adult emergence rate of two populations were higher on the host plant they originated.