Tl. Springer et Ce. Carlton, OVIPOSITION PREFERENCE OF DARKWINGED FUNGUS GNATS (DIPTERA, SCIARIDAE) AMONG TRIFOLIUM SPECIES, Journal of economic entomology, 86(5), 1993, pp. 1420-1423
We examined the oviposition preference of darkwinged fungus gnats, Bra
dysia spp., on 14 Trifolium cultivars representing seven species and s
eedling mortality following fungus gnat larval feeding. Variation in f
ungus gnat oviposition preference was detected for interspecific Trifo
lium cultivars but not for intraspecific cultivars. In a replicated fr
ee-choice greenhouse' test, subterranean clover, T. subterraneum L., w
as preferred significantly over other tested species, followed by crim
son clover, T. incarnatum L.; arrowleaf clover, T. vesiculosum Savi; r
ed clover, T. pratense L .; kura clover, T. ambiguum Bieb.; white clov
er, T. repens L.; and ball clover, T. nigrescens Viv. All Trifolium sp
ecies were susceptible to feeding by fungus gnat larvae; we have also
observed the death of 20 white clover seedlings by as few as six fungu
s gnat larvae. Fungus gnats may pose a serious threat to cool-season p
asture legumes. Field surveys and population studies are needed to det
ermine the importance of fungus gnat feeding in reducing the pasture p
ersistence of cool- and warm-season forage legumes.