St. Augustinegrass resistance against the southern chinch bug, Blissus insularis Barber

Host plant resistance has been historically proven to be the most feasible and environmentally-friendly management strategy against the Southern chinch bug, Blissus insularis. Yet, the number of commercially acceptable varieties with resistance against this insect is very limited. The Southern chinch bug was successfully managed throughout the South Eastern United States following adoption of resistant ‘Floratam’ in 1973 in the region.  However, recent reports of resistance breaking in Florida and Texas B. insularis populations has renewed interest in identifying additional sources of resistance in St Augustine against this pest species. To address these concerns, our research aims to identify and categorize resistance against B. insularis in St. Augustine grass.