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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Newark, Delaware » Beneficial Insects Introduction Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #181156

Title: A REVIEW OF WHEAT STEM SAWFLY (HYMENOPTERA: CEPHIDAE) RESEARCH IN CHINA

Author
item CHEN, SONGBI - USA-ARS BEIJING
item Hoelmer, Kim
item CHEN, HONGYIN - USDA-ARS BEIJING
item LIU, AIPING - CHINESE ACAD AG SCI
item SHANOWER, THOMAS - USDA-ARS SIDNEY, MT

Submitted to: Journal of Agricultural and Urban Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/29/2005
Publication Date: 10/10/2005
Citation: Chen, S., Hoelmer, K.A., Chen, H., Liu, A., Shanower, T. 2004. A review of wheat stem sawfly (Hymenoptera: Cephidae) research in China. Journal of Agricultural and Urban Entomology, p 21(4): 249-256.

Interpretive Summary: Wheat stem sawflies are important pests of wheat in Europe, North America and the Mediterranean region. They have also been recognized as important pests of wheat in China for more than 30 years. At least one species has become an increasingly important pest in northeast Asia, particularly in the wheat growing regions of western China. Various aspects of the biology and management of wheat stem sawflies have been investigated in China, but the results have been published only in local journals in the Chinese language and are not widely available outside of China. This paper summarizes previous published work on these pests from China. This information will be of interest to North American sawfly researchers, and is especially relevant because of the proposed native origin of the North American wheat stem sawfly in northeast Asia. The paper is published as part of a special issue on wheat stem sawfly management.

Technical Abstract: Wheat stem sawflies, Cephus spp. and Trachelus spp. (Hymenoptera: Cephidae), are important pests of wheat in Europe, North America and the Mediterranean region. These species have similar life history patterns and share a number of biological attributes. Larvae feed in the stems of cultivated (e.g. wheat, barley, rye, durum) and uncultivated (e.g. Agropyron, Bromus, Elymus) grasses. The agriculturally important species are all univoltine and pass the winter or dry season as a diapausing larva in the base of the stem. Prior to diapause, the larva cuts the inside of the stem and plugs the lumen. The hibernaculum, formed beneath the plug at or below ground level, provides protection from low temperatures and humidity. The wheat stem sawfly Cephus fumipennis has been recorded as a pest of wheat in China for more than 30 years. Research on the biology, ecology and management has been conducted but these results have been reported only in local or regional Chinese journals. This paper summarizes the important findings from these earlier studies that are not widely available outside of China.