Field population development of bird cherry-oat aphid and greenbug (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on wheat-alien substitution and translocation lines

Abstract

The aphids Rhopalosiphum padi L. and Schizaphis graminum (Rondani) are destructive pests of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). In field trials in northwest Mexico, we examined the development of R. padi and S. graminum populations on six wheat genotypes that had previously been assessed for aphid resistance under controlled conditions. Five of these wheat genotypes carried different alien translocations in the genetic background of the spring wheat cultivar Pavon F76, which was used as the control. The trials were established in a randomized complete block design and repeated in three successive sowings. Aphids were sampled weekly from tillering stage until collapse of the aphid populations in the control. Number of aphiddays (i.e. the area under the curve of aphids per tiller) was calculated to compare population sizes. Genotypes 1AL.1RS e and (1D)1R pr significantly reduced R. padi populations across all sowing dates, by 32.8 and 24.1 %, respectively, compared with the control. Interaction between the wheat genotypes and sowing had a significant effect on the aphid-days of S. graminum. Genotype 7A.7S-L5 with Aegilops speltoides Tausch chromatin significantly reduced the S. graminum population by between 48.5 and 74.8 % in the three sowings compared with the control. These three wheat genotypes were also previously characterized as resistant in laboratory trials and can be considered promising resistance sources to R. padi and S. graminum in wheat breeding programs.

Prevalent Pest Management Strategies for Grain Aphids: Opportunities and Challenges

“…Common wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) is the third most important staple food crop worldwide, and it is widely cultivated in more than 150 countries throughout the world, occupying approximately 220 million hectares worldwide and feeding approximately 4.5 billion of the world population ( FAOSTAT: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2019 ). Under the scenario of a rapid increase in the human population and a decrease in the area of cropland worldwide, the major challenge for current wheat grain production is reaching a steady annual increase of 2% ( Crespo-Herrera et al, 2015 ). Moreover, wheat plants in agroecosystems are exposed to different pests that cause substantial damage to wheat and severely threaten global food safety.…”

“…Moreover, wheat plants in agroecosystems are exposed to different pests that cause substantial damage to wheat and severely threaten global food safety. Among them, wheat aphids severely threaten wheat production worldwide; the English grain aphid Sitobion avenae Fabricius, the bird cherry-oat aphid Rhopalosiphum padi L., the greenbug Schizaphis graminum Rondani, and the Russian wheat aphid Diuraphis noxia Kurdjumov (Hemiptera: Aphididae), are the most destructive and most commonly occurring grain aphid species ( Elbert et al, 2008 ; Liu et al, 2012 ; Crespo-Herrera et al, 2015 ). These aphids exhibit parthenogenesis and the typical features of R-strategists, which could significantly increase their populations in a short time.…”