Ethylene evolution by thrips-infested cowpea provides a basis for thrips resistance screening with ethephon sprays

Pests are major constraints to increased cowpea production in tropical subsistence agriculture where cash inputs are small. Breeding for pest resistance is therefore the major component of pest management strategies for crop improvement. Of paramount economic importance among these pests are flower...

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Main Authors: Wien, H.C., Roesingh, C.
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: 1980
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/177168
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author Wien, H.C.
Roesingh, C.
author_browse Roesingh, C.
Wien, H.C.
author_facet Wien, H.C.
Roesingh, C.
author_sort Wien, H.C.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Pests are major constraints to increased cowpea production in tropical subsistence agriculture where cash inputs are small. Breeding for pest resistance is therefore the major component of pest management strategies for crop improvement. Of paramount economic importance among these pests are flower thrips [Megalurothrips sjostedti (Tryb.)] which may cause abscission of flower buds, flowers and peduncles, leading to seed yield losses of up to 100% (refs 1, 2). It has been difficult to use available sources of moderate thrips resistance in a breeding programme because of thrips variation in time and space in field screening3. This paper reports that ethylene is produced when thrips infest cowpea peduncles. We have used this fact to develop a screening technique using the synthetic growth regulator ethephon (2-chloroethylphosphonic acid), which when sprayed on the plant is translocated to actively-growing tissue, where it breaks down to form ethylene4–6. Cultivars susceptible to abscission caused by thrips also show increased abscission with ethephon treatment. The technique may be useful in identifying sources of resistance to other abscission-causing agents.
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spelling CGSpace1771682025-11-11T10:43:36Z Ethylene evolution by thrips-infested cowpea provides a basis for thrips resistance screening with ethephon sprays Wien, H.C. Roesingh, C. ethephon thrips ethylene legumes cowpeas pest control pest resistance Pests are major constraints to increased cowpea production in tropical subsistence agriculture where cash inputs are small. Breeding for pest resistance is therefore the major component of pest management strategies for crop improvement. Of paramount economic importance among these pests are flower thrips [Megalurothrips sjostedti (Tryb.)] which may cause abscission of flower buds, flowers and peduncles, leading to seed yield losses of up to 100% (refs 1, 2). It has been difficult to use available sources of moderate thrips resistance in a breeding programme because of thrips variation in time and space in field screening3. This paper reports that ethylene is produced when thrips infest cowpea peduncles. We have used this fact to develop a screening technique using the synthetic growth regulator ethephon (2-chloroethylphosphonic acid), which when sprayed on the plant is translocated to actively-growing tissue, where it breaks down to form ethylene4–6. Cultivars susceptible to abscission caused by thrips also show increased abscission with ethephon treatment. The technique may be useful in identifying sources of resistance to other abscission-causing agents. 1980-01-10 2025-10-16T13:25:02Z 2025-10-16T13:25:02Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/177168 en Limited Access application/pdf Wien, H.C., & Roesingh, C. (1980). Ethylene evolution by thrips-infested cowpea provides a basis for thrips resistance screening with ethephon sprays. Nature, 283, (5743): 192-194.
spellingShingle ethephon
thrips
ethylene
legumes
cowpeas
pest control
pest resistance
Wien, H.C.
Roesingh, C.
Ethylene evolution by thrips-infested cowpea provides a basis for thrips resistance screening with ethephon sprays
title Ethylene evolution by thrips-infested cowpea provides a basis for thrips resistance screening with ethephon sprays
title_full Ethylene evolution by thrips-infested cowpea provides a basis for thrips resistance screening with ethephon sprays
title_fullStr Ethylene evolution by thrips-infested cowpea provides a basis for thrips resistance screening with ethephon sprays
title_full_unstemmed Ethylene evolution by thrips-infested cowpea provides a basis for thrips resistance screening with ethephon sprays
title_short Ethylene evolution by thrips-infested cowpea provides a basis for thrips resistance screening with ethephon sprays
title_sort ethylene evolution by thrips infested cowpea provides a basis for thrips resistance screening with ethephon sprays
topic ethephon
thrips
ethylene
legumes
cowpeas
pest control
pest resistance
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/177168
work_keys_str_mv AT wienhc ethyleneevolutionbythripsinfestedcowpeaprovidesabasisforthripsresistancescreeningwithethephonsprays
AT roesinghc ethyleneevolutionbythripsinfestedcowpeaprovidesabasisforthripsresistancescreeningwithethephonsprays