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ARS Home » Plains Area » Manhattan, Kansas » Center for Grain and Animal Health Research » Hard Winter Wheat Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #330460
Title: Impact of hessian fly, Mayetiola destructor, feeding on selected developmental aspects of hard red winter wheat in Kansas

Author
item SCHWARTING, HOLLY - Kansas State University
item WHITWORTH, R. JEFF - Kansas State University
item Chen, Ming-Shun
item CRAMER, GARY - Kansas State University
item MAXWELL, THOMAS - Kansas State University

Submitted to: Southwestern Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/20/2016
Publication Date: 6/1/2016
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/63192
Citation: Schwarting, H.N., Whitworth, R., Chen, M., Cramer, G., Maxwell, T. 2016. Impact of hessian fly, Mayetiola destructor, feeding on selected developmental aspects of hard red winter wheat in Kansas. Southwestern Entomologist. 41(2):321-330. doi:10.3958/059.041.0208.

Interpretive Summary: Hessian fly has historically been a significant pest of wheat in Kansas. The use of resistant wheat cultivars has been adopted to protect seedling plants from Hessian fly larval feeding in the fall. However, it is unknown if these cultivars are still providing protection after winter vernalization. We evaluated resistance of adult wheat plants to Hessian fly under both greenhouse and field conditions. We found that ‘Armour’, a cultivar considered intermediately resistant to Hessian fly, remains resistant under low levels of Hessian fly infestation, but significant seed weight losses occurred under heavier infestations in the greenhouse. However, Armour did not provide protection post-vernalization in the field. ‘Duster’, a cultivar considered highly resistant (R), appeared to provide resistance to Hessian fly under both greenhouse and field conditions. These results suggest that post-vernalization screening should be conducted on all Hessian fly-resistant cultivars to determine if each continues to provide protection into the spring.

Technical Abstract: The Hessian fly (HF), Mayetiola destructor (Say), has historically been a significant pest of wheat in Kansas. The use of resistant wheat cultivars has been adopted to protect seedling plants from HF larval feeding in the fall. However, it is unknown if these cultivars are still providing protection after winter vernalization. Greenhouse trials indicated that ‘Armour’, a cultivar considered intermediately resistant (I), remains resistant under low levels of Hessian fly infestation, but significant seed weight losses occurred under heavier infestations. In the field, Armour (I) did not provide protection post-vernalization, with infested plants having significant losses of culm height (cm), number of spikelets/spike, number of seeds/spike, and seed weight (grams). ‘Duster’, a cultivar considered highly resistant (R), appeared to provide resistance to HF larval feeding in both the greenhouse and the field, and even produced significantly heavier seeds when infested with three flies/culm in the greenhouse. These results suggest that post-vernalization screening should be conducted on all HF resistant cultivars to determine if each continues to provide protection into the spring. Little information is available showing if and how HF larval feeding on more mature hard red winter wheat (Feekes 7-10), post-vernalization, impacts plants, aside from lodging. Greenhouse and field infestations of a susceptible (S) cultivar, ‘Fuller’, resulted in significant losses of culm height (cm), number of seeds/spikelet, and seed weight. Thus, growers are aware when seedling death or plant lodging occurs due to HF; however, small and significant, yet less dramatic, yield losses may be occurring undetected.