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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Ithaca, New York » Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture & Health » Emerging Pests and Pathogens Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #366066

Research Project: Emerging and Invasive Nematode and Virus Pathogens Affecting Potato

Location: Emerging Pests and Pathogens Research

Title: Aphids and their transmitted potato viruses: Continuing challenges in potato crops

Author
item XU, YI - Nanjing University
item Gray, Stewart

Submitted to: Journal of Integrative Agriculture
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/15/2019
Publication Date: 2/1/2020
Citation: Xu, Y., Gray, S.M. 2020. Aphids and their transmitted potato viruses: Continuing challenges in potato crops. Journal of Integrative Agriculture. 19(2):367-375. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2095-3119(19)62842-X.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2095-3119(19)62842-X

Interpretive Summary: Potato infecting viruses are numerous and are responsible for yield loss and reduction in farm gate value in all areas of potato production. This review focuses on vector and tuber transmitted viruses that are especially significant to potato production in China. Descriptions of the diseases and disease agents are provided as well as dialogue on relevant biological interactions of the potato plant, virus and virus vectors. Also discussed are potential control strategies that small holder farmers should be aware of to mitigate the effects of virus disease on the current crop and seed potatoes saved for future crops.

Technical Abstract: Aphids are among the most destructive insect pests on cultivated plants in temperate regions. Their piercing-sucking mouthparts and phloem feeding behavior directly damage crops and deplete plant nutrients. Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is one of the most common and important food sources on the planet, and several aphid species, e.g. Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (green peach aphid) and Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Thomas) (potato aphid) (Homoptera: Aphididae) colonize potato and transmit several economically important viruses. Aphid transmitted potato viruses have been emerging all over the world as a very serious problem in potato production, inducing a wide variety of foliar and tuber symptoms in potato, leading to yield reduction and loss of tuber quality. In this review, recent advances in understanding the interactions of potato viruses with their hosts, aphid vectors and the environment are described.