Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Auburn, Alabama » Soil Dynamics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #405515
Research Project: GxExM Systems Approach to Crop Disease Management

Location: Soil Dynamics Research

Title: Seasonal dynamics of aphid flights and cotton leafroll dwarf virus spread in Alabama

Author
item MAHAS, JESSICA - Auburn University
item RAY, CHARLES - Auburn University
item KESHEIMER, ADAM - Auburn University
item CONNER, KASSIE - Auburn University
item JACOBSON, ALANA - Auburn University

Submitted to: Insects
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/16/2023
Publication Date: 6/27/2023
Citation: Mahas, J., Ray, C., Kesheimer, A., Conner, K., Jacobson, A. 2023. Seasonal dynamics of aphid flights and cotton leafroll dwarf virus spread in Alabama. Insects. 14(7):604. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14070604.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14070604

Interpretive Summary: Cotton leafroll dwarf virus (CLRDV) is an introduced virus of cotton in the U.S. The only vector known to transmit this virus to cotton is the cotton aphid, however, there are several other species of aphids reported to colonize cotton in the southeastern U.S. Little to no information is available on annual population dynamics of these species in the southeastern U.S. The timing of CLRDV spread to cotton plantings is also unknown. The objective of this study was to monitor the population dynamics of cotton feeding aphid species along with the spread of CLRDV at different locations in Alabama. Aphids were monitored weekly for two years and sentinel plants were established weekly to monitor CLRDV spread throughout the cotton-growing season. During the two years, CLRDV spread at all locations occurred when the cotton aphid was actively dispersing in the field. Early season spread at sites in south and central Alabama, when the cotton aphid was not abundant, suggests additional aphid vectors are possible.

Technical Abstract: Cotton leafroll dwarf virus (CLRDV) is an introduced Polerovirus (Family: Solemoviridae) of cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., in the U.S. The only vector known to transmit this virus to cotton is the cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover, however, there are seven other species of aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) reported to colonize cotton in the southeastern U.S.: Protaphis middletonii (Thomas), Rhopalosiphum rufiabdominale (Sasaki), Aphis craccivora Koch, Macrosiphum euphorbiae Thomas, Myzus persicae (Sulzer), Smythurodes betae Westwood and Aphis fabae Scopoli. Little to no information is available on annual population dynamics of these species in the southeastern U.S. The timing of CLRDV spread to cotton plantings is also unknown. The objective of this study was to monitor the population dynamics of eight cotton feeding aphid species concurrent with the spread of CLRDV at three different locations in Alabama. Aphids were monitored weekly for two years with yellow pan traps, and sentinel plants were deployed weekly to monitor CLRDV spread throughout the cotton-growing season. During the two years, CLRDV spread at all locations occurred when A. gossypii was actively dispersing in the field. Early season spread at sites in south and central Alabama, when A. gossypii was not abundant, suggests additional aphid vectors are possible.