Status of the bioenergy crop miscanthus as a potential reservoir for aphid pests

How the use of nitrogen fertiliser may switch plant suitability for aphids: the case of Miscanthus, a promising biomass crop, and the aphid pest Rhopalosiphum maidis

“…× giganteus showed smaller larval weights compared with those developing on M. sinensis , and smaller r m compared with aphids on both parental species. These results appeared similar to the previous study, demonstrating that M . × giganteus exhibited a stronger resistance to R. padi than M. sinensis , and that M. sacchariflorus was the most sensitive host plant.…”

“…Although the parental species M. sacchariflorus is not a dedicated biomass crop, it is also interesting as a progenitor for breeding programmes owing to its low ash content, which makes it suitable for different bioenergy conversion processes . Interestingly, the three species of Miscanthus differ in terms of susceptibility to pests, in particular to aphids . The corn leaf aphid Rhopalosiphum maidis is considered to be the main Miscanthus pest, as R. maidis colonies can develop on Miscanthus host plants, to which they can also transmit the barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) .…”

“…17 Interestingly, the three species of Miscanthus differ in terms of susceptibility to pests, in particular to aphids. 18 The corn leaf aphid Rhopalosiphum maidis is considered to be the main Miscanthus pest, as R. maidis colonies can develop on Miscanthus host plants, 19 to which they can also transmit the barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV). 20 Indeed, some studies using in vitro plants have pointed out that M. sacchariflorus shows a greater resistance to the corn leaf aphid R. maidis than M. sinensis and M. × giganteus.…”

Herbivorous Insects Diversity at Miscanthus × Giganteus in Ukraine

“…Coulette et al (2013) showed that M. sacchariflorus (parental species for М. × giganteus) did not appear as an appropriate host for the three aphid species Aphis fabae Scop, Myzus persicae (Sulzer) and Rhopalosiphum padi L. Ameline et al (2015) reported that the host suitability for the four major aphis depends on the degree of specialization to Poaceae and appeared as moderate for specialist Rhopalosiphum padi L., low for polyphagous Aphis fabae (Scop) and Myzus persicae (Sulzer) and as very low for Brassicae specialist Brevicoryne brassicae L. In controversy, this study illustrated that the cultivation of Miscanthus in large scale might not always aggravate the problem of creating reservoir aphids from adjusting food crops; it could be assumed that M. × giganteus acted as a barrier crop helping to reduce the risk of transmission and spread of phytoviruses.…”