Decision making in controlling virus yellows of sugar beet in the UK

Abstract

Virus yellows is an important disease affecting yield in sugar beet in the UK. Myzus persicae (Sulzer) is the most effective and efficient aphid vector of the three viruses causing the disease: beet yellows virus, beet mild yellowing virus and beet chlorosis virus. Control of virus yellows disease is thus focused on the study and control of this aphid species. UK national surveys of virus yellows began in 1946 and these data helped to formulate disease forecasting schemes to optimise control. Over the years, in addition to improvements in farm hygiene, periodic changes and developments in control of the disease have occurred. To accommodate these important developments, virus yellows forecasting schemes have evolved accordingly. The most recent version has been adapted to take account of the current widespread use of imidacloprid seed treatment. Its application offers potential to optimise the rational use of aphicides such as imidacloprid so as to benefit beet growers and the environment by reducing prophylactic use of seed treatment.

New methods for the detection of insecticide resistant Myzus persicae in the U.K. suction trap network

“…The peach-potato aphid Myzus persicae is of particular interest because it is one of the most significant agricultural pests in the U.K., both as a transmitter of plant viruses ( Nault, 1997;Qi et al , 2004 ) and through direct feeding damage. It is also highly resistant to insecticides, with the heavy and persistent use of these chemicals resulting in the evolution of resistance to most of the major insecticide classes, including organochlorines, organophosphates, carbamates and pyrethroids ( ffrench-Constant et al , 2004 ).…”

Potential Risk of Residues From Neonicotinoid-Treated Sugar Beet in Flowering Weeds to Honey Bees (Apis mellifera L.)

“…With the stricter regulation following EFSA's new conclusion (Regulation (EU) 2018/784), the use of banned neonicotinoids for major crops remained possible due to an emergency approval by a Member State (EFSA, 2021). This need arose from damage by aphids (major pest Myzus persicae ), which transmit a number of viruses that cause significant damage to plants (Qi et al, 2004). Yellow virus, for example, reduces photosynthesis through leaf damage.…”

Electrical penetration graph studies to investigate the effects of cyantraniliprole on feeding behavior of Myzus persicae (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on Capsicum annuum

“…Imidacloprid has been shown to reduce incidence of persistently transmitted, aphid‐borne viruses, the transmission of which has been associated with phloem feeding (waveform E in EPG recordings) . For example, a reduction in feeding time and percentage of individuals that reached the phloem is believed to be responsible for reduced transmission of Barley yellow dwarf virus, a phloem‐borne virus, by Schizaphis graminum (Rondani) .…”