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Title: RELATIVE SUSCEPTIBILITY OF CEREALS AND PASTURE GRASSES TO THE YELLOW SUGARCANE APHID (HOMOPTERA: APHIDIDAE)

Author
item Kindler, Dean - Dean
item DALRYMPLE, R - NOBLE FOUNDATION, ARDMORE

Submitted to: Journal of Agricultural and Urban Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/10/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: The yellow sugarcane aphid is an important pest of cereal grains, grain sorghum, sugarcane, and numerous pasture grass species. Because of the importance of grasses to the economy of the southern states and recent history of the aphid damaging many important pasture grasses, we studied the survival and reproduction of the aphid on numerous cool- and warm- season grasses, legumes, and forbs, to establish the relative susceptibility of the host plants. Based on aphid population development, blando bromegrass, thickspike wheatgrass, and intermediate wheatgrass were the most susceptible hosts of the cool-season grasses. Japanese millet, grain sorghum, and laurisagrass were the most susceptible hosts of the warm-season grasses. Legumes and forbs were essentially non-hosts of the aphid. In a separate but related test, we determined the biology and the intrinsic rate of increase of the aphid on eight species of grasses, barley, wheat, and grain sorghum. The aphid had lowest intrinsic rate of increase on Johnsongrass, switchgrass, and big bluestem. To minimize yellow sugarcane aphid damage to cereal crops, scientists and extension personnel charged with developing pest management programs for yellow sugarcane aphids should consider recommending planting of grass species with low susceptibility to the aphid.

Technical Abstract: Yellow sugarcane aphid, Sipha flava (Forbes), is an important pest of small grains, grain sorghum, sugar cane, and numerous pasture grass species. Because of the importance of pasture grasses to the economy of the southern states and recent history of the aphid damaging many important pasture grasses, we, therefore, studied the survival and reproduction of yellow sugarcane aphids on numerous cool- and warm-season grasses, legumes, and forbs to establish the relative susceptibility of the host plants. Yellow sugarcane aphid survived on 21 of 21 warm-season grass species, 32 of 32 cool-season grass species, 3 of 19 legume species, and 1 of 4 species of forbs. Based on aphid population development, blando bromegrass, meadow bromegrass, mountain bromegrass, thickspike wheatgrass, and intermediate wheatgrass, were the best hosts among the cool-season grasses. Japanese millet, grain sorghum, and laurisagrass were the best warm-season grass hosts. Legumes and forbs were essentially non-host of the yellow sugarcane aphid. In a separate but related test, we determined the intrinsic rate of increase values of the aphid on eight species of grasses, barley, wheat, and grain sorghum. The intrinsic rate of increase values (r**m) for the aphid were significantly higher on Caucasian Old World bluestem, T-587 Old World bluestem, sorghum, and southern crabgrass than on the other entries. Higher r**m values were related to shorter pre-reproductive time, greater aphid fecundity, and increased longevity. The aphid had the lowest r**m values on Johnsongrass, switchgrass, and big bluestem.