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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Crop Genetics and Breeding Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #366429
Research Project: Genetic Improvement and Cropping Systems of Warm-season Grasses for Forage, Feedstocks, Syrup, and Turf

Location: Crop Genetics and Breeding Research

Title: Invasive cereal aphids of North America: Biotypes, genetic variation, management, and lessons learned

Author
item Harris-Shultz, Karen
item Armstrong, John
item JACOBSON, ALANA - Auburn University

Submitted to: Trends in Entomology
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/2/2019
Publication Date: 12/9/2019
Citation: Harris-Shultz, K.R., Armstrong, J.S., Jacobson, A. 2019. Invasive cereal aphids of North America: Biotypes, genetic variation, management, and lessons learned. Trends in Entomology. 15:99-122.

Interpretive Summary: not required

Technical Abstract: Introductions of greenbug [Schizaphis graminum (Rondani)], Russian wheat aphid [Diuraphis noxia, (Mordvilko)], and sugarcane aphid [Melanaphis sacchari (Zehnter)] into the U.S. has disrupted production of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench], wheat (Triticum spp. L.) and other small grain crops and has caused great economic losses. In this review article, information is given about each cereal aphid, its biotypic variation, genetic variability, as well as its management. Although multiple biotypes have been identified for the greenbug, Russian wheat aphid, and sugarcane aphid, a limited number of biotypes (or in the case of the sugarcane aphid just one biotype) are of agronomic importance. For the greenbug and Russian wheat aphid, the aphid biotypes of agronomic importance are highly genetically similar. The sugarcane aphid biotype that has spread on sorghum and Johnsongrass in all sorghum growing regions is largely one ‘super-clone’. Lessons learned from the past invasions of the greenbug and Russian wheat aphid directly apply to the current sugarcane aphid outbreak. The use of insecticides with multiple modes of action and the use of sorghum hybrids with multiple resistance genes may delay or prevent new sugarcane aphid biotypes from developing. Lastly since the use of classical biological control for management of the greenbug and Russian wheat aphid outbreaks had limited success, classical biological control is not recommended for the management of sugarcane aphids.