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Title: Host associations and incidence of Diuraphis spp. in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States, and pictorial key for their identification

Author
item Puterka, Gary
item HAMMON, ROBERT - Colorad0 State University
item Burd, John
item PEAIRS, FRANK - Colorado State University
item RANDOLPH, TERRI - Colorado State University
item Cooper, William - Rodney

Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/1/2010
Publication Date: 10/15/2010
Citation: Puterka, G.J., Hammon, R., Burd, J.D., Peairs, F., Randolph, T., Cooper, W.R. 2010. Host associations and incidence of Diuraphis spp. in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States, and pictorial key for their identification. Journal of Economic Entomology. 103(5):1875-1885.

Interpretive Summary: The Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia Kurd., was introduced into the United States in 1986. It is a serious pest of wheat in the Great Plains area and causes damage by sucking plant juices and injecting a toxic-like substance that eventually kills the plant. Three other species (D. frequens (Walker), D. mexicana (McVicar Baker) and D. tritici (Gillette)), related to the Russian wheat aphid already occurred in the United States prior to the introduction of the Russian wheat aphid. Our objective was to study the occurrence and host associations of all four Diuraphis species in the Rocky Mountain region that borders the Great Plains area to better understand their ecology. In addition, these species were photo-documented and a key was developed based on major differences in their appearance. D. noxia was the most common and widely distributed species in the study area spanning the Rocky Mountain areas of Wyoming, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado. The other Diuraphis spp. were rarely encountered with D. frequens common to the Alpine/Aspen Mountain areas. D. noxia was to be adapted to grass species and shared several of the grass hosts utilized by the other Diuraphis spp. but was most commonly associated with production wheat fields.

Technical Abstract: The Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia Kurd. was introduced into the United States in 1986 and has since become a major pest of wheat and other small grains in the western Great Plains. Biotypes of this aphid have occurred which have overcome resistance in wheat in the field in 2004. Three other Diuraphis species, D. frequens (Walker), D. mexicana (McVicar Baker) and D. tritici (Gillette), were already endemic to the United States prior to the introduction of D. noxia. The objective of this study was to determine the occurrence and host associations of Diuraphis spp. in the Rocky Mountain region that borders the Great Plains in order to better understand their ecology. In addition, these species were photo-documented and a key presented that is based on major morphological differences between these species to aid in their identification. D. noxia was the most common and widely distributed species in the study area spanning the Rocky Mountain areas of Wyoming, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado. The other Diuraphis spp. were rarely encountered with D. frequens common to the Alpine/Aspen Mountain areas. D. noxia was adapted to grass species and shared several of the grass hosts utilized by the other Diuraphis spp. but in the Rocky Mountain region was most commonly associated with production wheat fields. D. noxia appears to have rapidly dominated the agricultural and native habitat of other endemic Diuraphis spp.