Hooked Trichomes: A Physical Plant Barrier to a Major Agricultural Pest
ERIC A. PILLEMER 1 and
WARD M. TINGEY 2
1 Department of Plant Breeding, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853
2 Department of Entomology, Cornell University
Hooked epidermal appendages (trichomes) on leaves of field bean cultivars effectively capture nymph and adult leafhoppers. Frequency of capture and capture mortality are highly correlated with trichome density. Hooked trichomes inserted at angles less than 30° are ineffective in capture.
Submitted on March 29, 1976
Revised on May 24, 1976