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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Wooster, Ohio » Corn, Soybean and Wheat Quality Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #290504
Title: Population genetic structure and genetic diversity of soybean aphids from USA, Korea and Japan

Author
item JUN, TAE-HWAN - The Ohio State University
item Mian, Rouf
item KANG, SUNG-TAEG - Dankook University
item MICHEL, ANDREW - The Ohio State University
item WENGER, JACOB - The Ohio State University

Submitted to: Genome
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/20/2013
Publication Date: 7/12/2013
Citation: Jun, T., Mian, R.M., Kang, S., Michel, A.P., Wenger, J.A. 2013. Population genetic structure and genetic diversity of soybean aphids from USA, Korea and Japan. Genome. 56:345-350.

Interpretive Summary: The soybean aphid (Aphis glycines Matsumura) is an invasive pest and since its recent invasion of North America, the soybean aphid has become the number one insect pest of soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) in the USA. The population genetic structure and genetic diversity of the soybean aphid and the source of its invasion in North America is not well understood. Molecular markers, such as the simple sequence repeats (SSRs) are very useful in evaluation of population structures and genetic diversity. We used 18 SSRs markers to assess the genetic diversity of soybean aphid from USA, Korea and Japan. The aphids were collected from two sites in USA (Indiana and South Dakota), two sites in Korea (Yeonggwang district and Cheonan city) and one site in Japan (Utsunomiya). The SSR markers were highly effective in differentiating the aphids from different countries, confirming that large geographic distances, particularly separated by a sea or ocean, can result in distinctly different soybean aphid population structure. The level of differentiation within each population and among populations from the same country was limited, even in the case of USA where the two collection sites were more than 1200 km apart. The results of this study indicate that neither Korea nor Japan may be the source of the US soybean aphids. Further studies will be needed to identify the source of soybean aphid invasion in North America.

Technical Abstract: Following its recent invasion of North America, the soybean aphid (Aphis glycines Matsumura) has become the number one insect pest of soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) in the north central states of USA. Very little is known about the population genetic structure and genetic diversity of the soybean aphid and the source of its invasion in North America. Molecular markers, such as the simple sequence repeats (SSRs) are very useful in evaluation of population structures and genetic diversity. We used 18 SSRs markers to assess the genetic diversity of soybean aphid from USA, Korea and Japan. The aphids were collected from two sites in USA (Indiana and South Dakota), two sites in Korea (Yeonggwang district and Cheonan city) and one site in Japan (Utsunomiya). The SSR markers were highly effective in differentiating the aphids from different countries, confirming that large geographic distances, particularly separated by a sea or ocean, can result in distinctly different soybean aphid population structure. The level of differentiation within each population and among populations from the same country was limited, even in the case of USA where the two collection sites were more than 1200 km apart. The results of this study indicate that neither Korea nor Japan may be the source of the US soybean aphids.