Minstrel bug (graphosoma lineatum L.) as a cause of germless seeds, low productivity, and seed quality of umbelliferae crops

In condition of Ramenskyi district (Moscow region) there was wide spreading of minstrel bug (Graphosoma lineatum L.), which is cause of yield loss of vegetable crops of Umbelliferae family. It was found up to nine mature insects per one plant. The larvae and imago feed mainly on buds, flowers, and seeds in all stages of its development. Because of damaging the seed productivity is decreased by 11-45%, the weight of 1000 seeds is decreased by 12-40%, germination energy is decreased by 13-100%, and germination ability is decreased by 10-82%. The germless seeds can range from 5% to 15 % and seeds without endosperm can range from 7% to 36 %.