Distribution of a new invasive species, Sipha maydis Passerini (Heteroptera: Aphididae), on cereals and wild grasses in the Great Plains and Rocky Mountain states

Authors: Puterka, Gary; HAMMON, ROBERT - Colorado State University; Mornhinweg, Dolores - Do; Springer, Timothy; Armstrong, John; BROWN, MIKE - University Of Arkansas

Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/3/2019
Publication Date: 5/1/2019
Citation: Puterka, G.J., Hammon, R.W., Mornhinweg, D.W., Springer, T.L., Armstrong, J.S., Brown, M.J. 2019. Distribution of a new invasive species, Sipha maydis Passerini (Heteroptera: Aphididae), on cereals and wild grasses in the Great Plains and Rocky Mountain states. Journal of Economic Entomology. 112(4):1713-1721. https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toz068.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toz068

Interpretive Summary: Sipha maydis is an aphid that feeds on wheat and is a significant pest in countries throughout the world including Europe, United Kingdom, Russia, Asia, Africa, and South America. This aphid was discovered in California in 2007 but little is known about how much it has spread or what it feeds on in the United States. We studied the distribution and host range of S. maydis in the Rocky Mountain and Great Plains States (OK, TX, NM, CO, UT, WY) over a three-year period from 2015-2017. In 2015, NW Colorado contained S. maydis at 59% of the 37 sites; primarily on wheat. In the multi-state study, S. maydis occurred in 14.6% of 96 sites sampled in 2015, 8% of 123 sites in 2016, and 9% of 85 sites in 2017 at wide range of altitudes ranging from 4458-8677 ft. This aphid was concentrated in Colorado and NM, but was also detected in small numbers in Utah, and Wyoming. S. maydis mainly infested wheat followed by a variety of 8 wild grasses species. No significant damage to wheat or grasses occurred at the sites. S. maydis used 14 hosts in the USA and we expanded its known list of plants in feeds upon to 53 worldwide. If this aphid continues to increase its presence in the Rocky Mountain and Great Plains States it could become a significant pest of sorghum and wheat.

Technical Abstract: Sipha maydis Passerini (Heteroptera: Aphididae) is a cereal pest with an extensive geographic range that includes Europe, United Kingdom, Russia, Asia, Africa, and South America. Reports of S. maydis in the United States have been infrequent since 2007 when it was first detected in California. This study reports the distribution and host range of S. maydis in the Rocky Mountain and Great Plains states (OK, TX, NM, CO, UT, WY) over a three-year period, 2015-2017. In 2015, focused sampling in NW Colorado discovered S. maydis at 59% of the 37 sites; primarily on wheat. S. maydis did not survive extreme winter that followed in 2015/2016 when temperatures dropped to -9.0 to -20.9 degree C over a 9 D, resulting in no aphids detected in 2016. In the multi-state study, S. maydis occurred in 14.6% of 96 sites sampled in 2015, 8% of 123 sites in 2016, and 9% of 85 sites in 2017 at wide range of altitudes ranging from 1359-2645m. Populations were concentrated in SW and SE Colorado and NW New Mexico and but was detected in E Colorado, SE Utah, and SE Wyoming. This aphid mainly infested wheat followed by a variety of 8 wild grasses species. No parasites, sexual morphs, or significant plant damage occurred at the sites. S. maydis uses 14 hosts in the USA, including 8 new host records, with an annotated host list of 53 hosts worldwide. This aphid would be a concern to wheat, barley and sorghum production in the USA if its populations continue to increase.