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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Madison, Wisconsin » Vegetable Crops Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #242651
Title: Biotypic diversity in greenbug (Hemiptera: Aphididae): Microsatellite-based regional divergence and host-adapted differentiation

Author
item Weng, Yiqun
item PERUMAL, AZHAGUVEL - Texas Agrilife
item RUDD, JACKIE - Texas Agrilife
item Burd, John

Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/4/2010
Publication Date: 8/25/2010
Citation: Weng, Y., Perumal, A., Rudd, J.C., Burd, J.D. 2010. Biotypic diversity in greenbug (Hemiptera: Aphididae): Microsatellite-based regional divergence and host-adapted differentiation. Journal of Economic Entomology. 103(4):1454-1463.

Interpretive Summary: The greenbug is an important aphid pest of wheat and several other small grain crops in the southern High Plains of the US. Understanding biotypic variation in the greenbug is important to design proper strategies for control of this insect pest. In this study, 19 greenbug isolates were collected from wheat, barley or noncultivated grass hosts in five locations from the states of Colorado and Wyoming. Parthenogenetic colonies were established. Biotypic profiles of the 19 isolates were determined based on their abilities to damage a set of host plant differentials and 13 new biotypes were identified. Genetic diversity among the 19 isolates and five previously designated greenbug biotypes (E, G, H, I, and K) was examined with 31 cross-species transferable microsatellite (simple sequence repeat, SSR) markers, and a phylogenetic tree was constructed. Clustering analysis of marker data revealed host-adapted genetic divergence as well as regional differentiation of greenbug populations. Host associated biotypic variation seems to be more obvious in biotypes infesting small grain crops whereas isolates collected from non-cultivated grasses tend to show more geographic divergence. Information from this study is useful for breeding greenbug resistance wheat cultivars and implementing appropriate IPM strategies to control this aphid pest.

Technical Abstract: Nineteen isolates of the cereal aphid pest greenbug were collected from wheat, barley or noncultivated grass hosts in five locations from the states of Colorado and Wyoming in the U.S., and parthenogenetic colonies were established. Biotypic profiles of the 19 isolates were determined based on their abilities to damage a set of host plant differentials and 13 new biotypes were identified. Genetic diversity among the 19 isolates and five previously designated greenbug biotypes (E, G, H, I, and K) was examined with 31 cross-species transferable microsatellite (simple sequence repeat, SSR) markers, and a phylogenetic tree was constructed. Neighbor joining analysis of the microsatellite marker data revealed host-adapted genetic divergence as well as regional differentiation of greenbug populations. Host associated biotypic variation seems to be more obvious in ‘agricultural biotypes’ whereas isolates collected from non-cultivated grasses tend to show more geographic divergence. The implications of these findings on the development of biotypes and breeding for greenbug resistance were discussed.