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Greenbug is one of two key insect pests of sorghum, and biotype evolution hinders the long-term usefulness of resistant sorghums. The current study sought to identify plant resistance mechanisms, plant damage characteristics, and greenbug fitness in sorghum/greenbug interactions. Choice tests were conducted to elucidate resistance mechanisms displayed by four sorghum genotypes towards several greenbug biotypes and isolates. Results indicated all three resistance modalities (antibiosis, antixenosis, tolerance) were identified in sorghums, with some genotypes displaying two or more modalities towards some biotypes. This suggests some sorghum genotypes do not select for greenbug biotypes, and the sorghum genotypes cultivated may have relatively long-term resistance. Non-choice tests were used to determine plant damage associated with greenbug feeding. Four sorghum genotype, Johnson grass, and five greenbug biotype combinations were used to elucidate plant characteristics associated with visible plant damage. Fluid loss and plant stunting were significantly associated with visible plant damage, and were also observed in some plants not incurring heavy visible damage. Additionally, some biotypes avirulent to cultivated sorghum caused significant damage to Johnson grass. These results suggest visible plant damage, routinely used in damage studies, reflects underlying causes that could lead to poor agronomic performance. Additionally, Johnson grass may harbor greenbug biotypes not commonly found in sorghum fields. Greenbug colony and individual fitness were determined by reproduction rates of five biotypes on four sorghum genotypes and Johnson grass in non-choice tests. Generally, colony and individual fitness estimates were not different within genotype/biotype combinations. Also, biotypes did best on more susceptible and worst on more resistant sorghum genotypes. Colonies and individuals of all biotypes had lowest fitness on Johnson grass. These results suggest virulent biotypes may have a fitness advantage over avirulent ones, at least in the presence of the cultivated host. The results presented herein reflect the diversity of sorghum/greenbug interactions, and underscore the need for further understanding of the nature of greenbug biotypes, and how they interact with cultivated and non-cultivated host plants.

Greenbug is one of two key insect pests of sorghum, and biotype evolution hinders the long-term usefulness of resistant sorghums. The current study sought to identify plant resistance mechanisms, plant damage characteristics, and greenbug fitness in sorghum/greenbug interactions. Choice tests were conducted to elucidate resistance mechanisms displayed by four sorghum genotypes towards several greenbug biotypes and isolates. Results indicated all three resistance modalities (antibiosis, antixenosis, tolerance) were identified in sorghums, with some genotypes displaying two or more modalities towards some biotypes. This suggests some sorghum genotypes do not select for greenbug biotypes, and the sorghum genotypes cultivated may have relatively long-term resistance. Non-choice tests were used to determine plant damage associated with greenbug feeding. Four sorghum genotype, Johnson grass, and five greenbug biotype combinations were used to elucidate plant characteristics associated with visible plant damage. Fluid loss and plant stunting were significantly associated with visible plant damage, and were also observed in some plants not incurring heavy visible damage. Additionally, some biotypes avirulent to cultivated sorghum caused significant damage to Johnson grass. These results suggest visible plant damage, routinely used in damage studies, reflects underlying causes that could lead to poor agronomic performance. Additionally, Johnson grass may harbor greenbug biotypes not commonly found in sorghum fields. Greenbug colony and individual fitness were determined by reproduction rates of five biotypes on four sorghum genotypes and Johnson grass in non-choice tests. Generally, colony and individual fitness estimates were not different within genotype/biotype combinations. Also, biotypes did best on more susceptible and worst on more resistant sorghum genotypes. Colonies and individuals of all biotypes had lowest fitness on Johnson grass. These results suggest virulent biotypes may have a fitness advantage over avirulent ones, at least in the presence of the cultivated host. The results presented herein reflect the diversity of sorghum/greenbug interactions, and underscore the need for further understanding of the nature of greenbug biotypes, and how they interact with cultivated and non-cultivated host plants.

Humans have always interacted with plants for thousands of years ago. The origin of plant domestication is a clear example of human-plant mutualism. This mutual relationship has gradually developed into a co-entangled relationship where both symbionts benefit each other in an environment. The evidence of this relationship is confirmed by the use of plants across the globe, which constitutes a critical component in the livelihoods of people. It is likely to have been the case during the Iron Age period in Southern Africa, particularly in southwestern Zimbabwe where diversity of plant resources and other economic activities supported the Early farming communities in a variety of ways. Unfortunately, the available information about plant use, the role of crops and wild plants beyond diet and subsistence is widely dispersed. Studies that adequately analyse plant remains from Early Iron Age sites to understand the purpose of plants especially wild in the daily livelihoods of early farming communities is lagging. The labour and decision making invested in the selection, management, gathering, processing and consumption of these plants is not known. This research explored an analysis of archaeobotanical remains at Mtanye site, one of the early farming communities in Gwanda, southwestern Zimbabwe. Ethnobotanical and archaeobotanical techniques, as well as further microscopic analysis of seeds in the laboratory, were performed. The assessment of ethnobotanical examinations and archaeobotanical remains concluded that plants were vital to Mtanye community’s daily livelihoods, by offering an essential contribution to social, religious and economic development in the face of environmental challenges. The people at Mtanye treated crop cultivation and gathering of wild plants with more considerable ingenuity just like other sectors of their economies. Considering that the environment was not conducive for adequate crop farming, the intensive use of wild plant resources likely underpinned their ability to survive in a semi-arid environment for a prolonged time.

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The presence of competitors and predators as well as plant quality affect which plants an insect feed from. These factors affect food choice through the entire insect life cycle, and is especially important when it comes to nurturing larvae. Females oviposition choice sets the initial stage for larval growth and survival, and it is therefore predicted that there is a strong selection pressure to make them oviposit on the best plants possible. This study looks into the behavior of nutrient driven ovipositing and food choice in the beetles Phratora vitellinae and Lochmaea caprea by offering individuals ten leaves of Salix viminalis, one treated with extra nitrogen in order to increase the nutritional value, and four treated with extra carbon, which should lower the nutritional value. During the choice experiment, only two females of Phratora vitellinae oviposited, making it impossible to draw any conclusion regarding nutrient driven oviposition choice. However, data showed a preference for nitrogen treated leaves and an avoidance of untreated control leaves in almost every case when looking into the largest loss of area for leaves of each treatment. When analyzing the number of leaves of each treatment that is eaten per individual there was a slight preference for nitrogen treated leaves, even though the probability of nitrogen being ranked as most preferred in this case was almost zero. Carbon treated leaves and acetone treated control leaves were equally avoided. For Lochmaea caprea, females fed from a significantly larger numer of leaves than males did (t-test, t=1.86, p=0.0003). An ANOVA showed no significant difference in C:N ratio among leaf treatments (ANOVA, F=9.28E-07, p=0.99). Since plant C:N ratio most likely will increase continuously due to CO2 emissions, the effects an increased carbon concentration in plant tissues has on oviposition and food choice in herbivorous insects is something to look further into. More studies on this subject are therefore needed.