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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Mayaguez, Puerto Rico » Tropical Crops and Germplasm Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #410439
Research Project: Uncovering New Sources of Disease Resistance in Tropical Sorghum Germplasm

Location: Tropical Crops and Germplasm Research

Title: Invasive sorghum aphid: a decade of research on deciphering plant resistance mechanisms and novel approaches in breeding for sorghum resistance to aphids

Author
item THUDI, MAHENDAR - Fort Valley State University
item REDDY, SAI - Central Agricultural University
item DASHARATH NAIK, YOGESH - Central Agricultural University
item REDDY CHERUKU, VARUN - Fort Valley State University
item REDDY SANGIREDDI, MANOJ - Fort Valley State University
item Cuevas, Hugo
item Knoll, Joseph - Joe
item LOUIS, JOE - University Of Nebraska
item Kousik, Chandrasekar - Shaker
item Ni, Xinzhi
item PUNNURI, SOMASHEKHAR - Fort Valley State University

Submitted to: Crop Science
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/26/2024
Publication Date: 7/9/2024
Citation: Thudi, M., Reddy, S., Dasharath Naik, Y., Reddy Cheruku, V., Reddy Sangireddi, M., Cuevas, H.E., Knoll, J.E., Louis, J., Kousik, C.S., Ni, X., Punnuri, S.M. 2024. Invasive sorghum aphid: a decade of research on deciphering plant resistance mechanisms and novel approaches in breeding for sorghum resistance to aphids. Crop Science. http://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.21301.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.21301

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: During the last decade, the sorghum aphid (Melanaphis sorghi), previously identified as sugarcane aphid (Melanaphis sacchari), became a serious pest of sorghum, spreading to all sorghum producing regions in the United States, Mexico, and South America, where crop losses of 50 to 100% have been reported. Development of sorghum cultivars with genetic resistance to this insect is the most sustainable strategy for long-term pest management. To design cultivars with resistance, understanding the mechanisms underlying aphid survival, host plant resistance, and aphid-sorghum interactions is critical. In this review we summarize the comprehensive efforts on characterizing the aphid populations as well as their interaction with sorghum plants via hormonal pathways that trigger various genes including LRR, WRKY transcription factors, LOXs, CaMKs, and others. We discuss efforts made during the last decade to identify these genomic regions and candidate genes that confer resistance and describe recent successes and potential challenges in breeding for aphid resistance. Furthermore, we discuss the use of disruptive technologies like high-throughput phenotyping, artificial intelligence (AI), or machine learning for developing aphid-resistant sorghum cultivars. Integration of these new technologies has the potential to enhance the development and design of novel traits that confer aphid resistance in new sorghum cultivars.