title: Curcurbita pepo subspecies delineates striped cucumber beetle (Acalymma vittatum) preference.
abstract: The striped cucumber beetle (Acalymma vittatum (F.)) is a destructive pest of cucurbit crops, and management could be improved by host plant resistance, especially in organic farming systems. However, despite the variation in striped cucumber beetle preference observed within the economically important species, Cucurbita pepo L., plant breeders and entomologists lacked a simple framework to classify and exploit these differences. This study used recent phylogenetic evidence and bioassays to organize striped cucumber beetle preference within C. pepo. Our results indicate preference contrasts between the two agriculturally relevant subspecies: C. pepo subsp. texana and C. pepo subsp. pepo. Plants of C. pepo subsp. pepo were more strongly preferred than C. pepo subsp. texana plants. This structure of beetle preference in C. pepo will allow plant breeders and entomologists to better focus research efforts on host plant non-preference to control striped cucumber beetles.
authors.affiliation: Section of Plant Breeding and Genetics, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University , Ithaca, NY, USA.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brzozowski
authors.affiliation: School of Agriculture, Tennessee Tech University , Cookeville, TN, USA.
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Leckie
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, Cornell University , Ithaca, NY, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gardner
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, Cornell University , Ithaca, NY, USA.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.affiliation: Section of Plant Breeding and Genetics, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University , Ithaca, NY, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mazourek