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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Urbana, Illinois » Soybean/maize Germplasm, Pathology, and Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #241790
Title: A New Soybean Aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) Biotype Identified

Author
item HILL, CURTIS - University Of Illinois
item CRULL, LAURA - University Of Illinois
item HERMAN, THERESA - University Of Illinois
item VOEGTLIN, DAVID - University Of Illinois
item Hartman, Glen

Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/11/2009
Publication Date: 5/22/2010
Citation: Hill, C.B., Crull, L., Herman, T., Voegtlin, D.J., Hartman, G.L. 2010. A New Soybean Aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) Biotype Identified. Journal of Economic Entomology. 103:509-515.

Interpretive Summary: One of the greatest threats to soybean production in the main North American soybean production region continues to be the soybean aphid. An earlier study that identified a soybean aphid biotype that could colonize plants with the Rag1 resistance gene has raised concerns about the durability of soybean aphid resistance genes. Results of choice and non-choice tests conducted in this study characterized the colonization of a soybean aphid isolate collected from the overwintering host Frangula alnus in Springfield Fen, Indiana, on different aphid resistant soybean genotypes. This isolate readily colonized plants with the Rag2 resistance gene, distinguishing it from the two biotypes previously characterized, indicating it represented a new biotype named biotype 3. The identification of soybean aphid biotypes that can overcome Rag1 and Rag2 resistance, even before soybean cultivars with the resistance genes were deployed in production, suggested that there is high variability in virulence within soybean aphid populations present in North America, giving the pest a high potential to adapt to and reduce the effective life of resistance genes deployed in production. The search for new soybean aphid resistance genes must continue along with development of alternative sustainable strategies to manage the pest. Future work to identify markers closely associated with soybean aphid virulence would aid in studies of the distribution of biotypes. Knowledge of the occurrence and distribution of soybean aphid biotypes in different geographic areas could be used by the soybean seed industry to determine where to market soybean cultivars with particular soybean aphid resistance genes and would help soybean producers to select appropriate resistant cultivars based on the virulence potential in their area.

Technical Abstract: One of the greatest threats to soybean production in the main North American soybean production region continues to be the soybean aphid. An earlier study that identified a soybean aphid biotype that could colonize plants with the Rag1 resistance gene has raised concerns about the durability of soybean aphid resistance genes. Results of choice and non-choice tests conducted in this study characterized the colonization of a soybean aphid isolate collected from the overwintering host Frangula alnus in Springfield Fen, Indiana, on different aphid resistant soybean genotypes. This isolate readily colonized plants with the Rag2 resistance gene, distinguishing it from the two biotypes previously characterized, indicating it represented a new biotype named biotype 3. The identification of soybean aphid biotypes that can overcome Rag1 and Rag2 resistance, even before soybean cultivars with the resistance genes were deployed in production, suggested that there is high variability in virulence within soybean aphid populations present in North America, giving the pest a high potential to adapt to and reduce the effective life of resistance genes deployed in production. The search for new soybean aphid resistance genes must continue along with development of alternative sustainable strategies to manage the pest. Future work to identify markers closely associated with soybean aphid virulence would aid in studies of the distribution of biotypes. Knowledge of the occurrence and distribution of soybean aphid biotypes in different geographic areas could be used by the soybean seed industry to determine where to market soybean cultivars with particular soybean aphid resistance genes and would help soybean producers to select appropriate resistant cultivars based on the virulence potential in their area.