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ARS Home » Plains Area » El Reno, Oklahoma » Oklahoma and Central Plains Agricultural Research Center » Peanut and Small Grains Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #379892
Research Project: Management Strategies for Invasive Aphid Pests of Cereals

Location: Peanut and Small Grains Research Unit

Title: The effects of light-emitting diode and conventional lighting on sorghum physiology and sugarcane aphid interaction

Author
item CAREY, CAMILLE - OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY
item HOBACK, WYATT - OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY
item ARMSTRONG, JOHN
item ZARRABI, ALI - OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Florida Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/12/2022
Publication Date: 6/28/2022
Citation: Carey, C., Hoback, W., Armstrong, J.S., Zarrabi, A. 2022. The effects of light-emitting diode and conventional lighting on sorghum physiology and sugarcane aphid interaction. Florida Entomologist. Vol. 105, No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1653/024.105.0207.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1653/024.105.0207

Interpretive Summary: We grew four cultivars of sorghum in growth chambers with either conventional or LED lights, and each of the sorghum entries were infested and not infested with sugarcane aphids. Sorghum grown under LED lights were shorter in stature and produced more leaves that were wider. Two of the varieties (TX 7000 and KS 585) had lower photosynthetic rates and altered stomatal conductance under LED lights. When exposed to aphids, resistant cultivars (TX 2783 and DKS 37-07) tolerated aphid feeding with reduced damage under conventional lights, but were similar to susceptible varieties when grown under LED lighting. LED lights affect sorghum physiology and morphology and also compromise resistance to herbivores.

Technical Abstract: Light-emitting diodes are used to substitute and enhance fluorescent or incandescent light for plants that are grown in climate-controlled environments. These lights often are chosen over other light sources because of the light-emitting diodes' durability, long life, enhanced wavelength for specific plant species, lower energy costs, lower surface heat safety risk and easier ability to incorporate into advanced climate control systems. However, previous studies have shown that characteristics of Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench (Poaceae) are altered under light-emitting diode lights. Therefore, we grew 4 cultivars of sorghum in growth chambers with either conventional or light-emitting diode lights. Plants were infested with either the sugarcane aphid, Melanaphis sacchari (Zehntner) (Hemiptera:Aphididae) or were un-infested (control). Sorghum grown under light-emitting diode lights was shorter and produced more leaves that were wider than those of plants grown under conventional lights. Two of the cultivars had lower photosynthetic rates and reduced stomatal conductance under light-emitting diode lights. When exposed to sugarcane aphids, resistant cultivars tolerated aphid feeding with reduced damage under conventional lights but were similar to susceptible cultivars when grown under light-emitting diode lighting. Our results suggest that light-emitting diode lights affect sorghum physiology and morphology, and also compromises resistance to herbivores. Our study provides further evidence that the physiological effects of different light spectra and interaction of plant defenses and herbivores need to be tested across a broad range of plant groups.