Glandular trichomes of Solanum berthaultii and its hybrids with Solanum tuberosum affect nymphal emergence, development, and survival of Empoasca fabae (Homoptera: Cicadellidae)

The influence of foliar glandular trichomes on developmental biology of the potato leafhopper, Empoasca fabae (Harris) (Homoptera: Cicadellidae), was examined by selective removal of trichomes on resistant and susceptible potato germplasm comprising two glandular trichome-bearing genotypes (PI 473331 and PI 473334) of wild potato, Solanum berthaultii (Hawkes), two interspecific hybrids of S. berthaultii with Solanum tuberosum L. (Q174-2 and NY123), and two commercial S. tuberosum cultivars ('Elba' and 'Allegany'). Adult mortality was affected, whereas nymphal emergence was unaffected by removal of glandular trichome exudates. No nymphs were observed emerging from leaves of PI 473331 or PI 473334. Regardless of the trichome removal treatment, no nymphs completed development on PI 473331, and only a small percentage of nymphs survived to adulthood on NY123 and PI 473334. PI 473331 had the greatest frequency of adults and nymphs with trichome exudate deposition on their bodies, followed by PI 473334. Nymphs, but not adults, had exudate accumulation when caged on foliage of Q174-2. Removal of type A trichome heads and type B droplets eliminated exudate deposition. The results of these studies provide evidence that phenolic oxidation chemistry and the physical barrier imposed by trichomes of S. berthaultii are responsible for much of the observed resistance but that other factors possibly linked to the presence of trichomes aid in the expression on resistance.