Analysis of tea plant resistance to tea green leafhopper, E mpoasca onukii , by detecting stylet‐probing behavior with DC electropenetrography

The tea green leafhopper, E mpoasca onukii M atsuda ( H emiptera: C icadellidae: T yphlocybinae), is a serious pest of tea plants in East Asia. Previous work has shown that two tea germplasms, Cd19 and Cd289, sustain less hopperburn damage by E . onukii than does C amellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze cv. ‘Yabukita’ (Theaceae), and E . onukii excretes less honeydew on these germplasms than on the susceptible Y abukita. This study investigated the feeding behavior of E . onukii with a direct current electropenetrograph ( DC EPG ) to compare feeding behaviors, including ingestion, on resistant tea germplasms and Y abukita. Feeding behaviors on the resistant germplasms were significantly restricted, with few bouts of active ingestion of short duration and long periods of non‐probing, whereas E . onukii engaged in active ingestion of long duration many times on the susceptible cv. Y abukita. The tea germplasms, Cd19 and Cd289, therefore showed strong resistance to E . onukii . Furthermore, the shape of puncture holes left after probing was compared between the susceptible Y abukita and the resistant germplasms. The puncture holes on Cd19 and Cd289 were indistinct in shape and closed compared with those on Y abukita.