Abstract

A population of the southern chinch bug, Blissus insularis Barber, extensively damaged turf plantings of 'Floratam', a polyploid St. Augustinegrass, Stenotaphrum secundatum) Walt. Kuntze, recognized for its resistance to this pest.  We compared nymphal development, adult longevity, and egg production of this southern chinch bug population (polyploid-damaging population [PDP]) with a standard population (STD), when both were provided St. Augustinegrass cultivars resistant and non-resistant to southern chinch bugs.  STD bugs confined on resistant cultivars 'Floratam' and 'Floralawn' survived only 12 and 22 d, respectively, but survived 77 days on a susceptible cultivar ('Florida Common').  In contrast, PDP bugs survived an average of 62 d on 'Floratam' and 80 d on 'Floralawn'.  STD females laid two eggs per female on resistant cultivars, but PDP females laid an average of 30 eggs on 'Floratam' and 85 eggs on 'Floralawn'.  Both PDP and STD bugs developed to adulthood on 'Florida Common', whereas only PDP bugs developed on 'Floratam'.