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First report of field populations of two potential
aphid pests of the bioenergy crop Miscanthus x
giganteus.
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| Subject: |
Aphididae
(Food and nutrition) Energy crops (Environmental aspects) Energy crops (Economic aspects) Grasses (Environmental aspects) Grasses (Economic aspects) |
| Authors: |
Bradshaw, Jeffrey D. Prasifka, Jarrad R. Steffey, Kevin L. Gray, Michael E. |
| Pub Date: | 03/01/2010 |
| Publication: | Name: Florida Entomologist Publisher: Florida Entomological Society Audience: Academic Format: Magazine/Journal Subject: Biological sciences Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2010 Florida Entomological Society ISSN: 0015-4040 |
| Issue: | Date: March, 2010 Source Volume: 93 Source Issue: 1 |
| Geographic: | Geographic Scope: United States Geographic Code: 1USA United States |
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| Accession Number: | 225074305 |
| Full Text: |
Sipha flava (Forbes) (yellow sugarcane aphid) and Rhopalosiphum
maidis (Fitch) (corn leaf aphid) (Hemiptera: Homoptera: Aphididae) are
common aphids occurring throughout North America on many host plants,
most of which are grasses (Blackman & Eastop 2006). Both aphids are
pests of several important food crops, e.g., Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench
(sorghum), Saccharum officinarum L. (sugarcane), Triticum spp. (wheat),
and Zea mays L. (corn) (Blackman & Eastop 2000). Additionally, both
aphids are vectors of potyviruses and R. maidis is a vector of
luteoviruses in these crops. Until now, to our knowledge, no natural
infestations of these aphids have been reported on the grass genus
Miscanthus. Miscanthus spp. is a common grass throughout the United States, with ornamental varieties of M. sinensis Andersson being the most frequently cultivated species. However, M. x giganteus Greef and Deuter ex Hodkinson and Renvoize (Liliopsida: Poaceae: Andropogonaeae: Saccharinae) is being evaluated in the United States as a cellulosic feedstock crop (Heaton et al. 2008) primarily to meet production targets for advanced biofuels (e.g., cellulosic ethanol; Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, 42 U.S.C. [section] 17001). Miscanthus x giganteus is a perennial, sterile hybrid (possibly between M. sinensis and M. sacchiflorus (Maxim.) Hack.) and may exist in nature within a sympatric zone of these 2 species in southeastern Asia (Clifton-Brown et al. 2008). More than 1,500 insect species reportedly feed on Saccharum officinarum (sugarcane) (Long & Hensley 1972), a sister genus of M. x giganteus (Hodkinson et al. 2002); however, very few insects have been reported to feed on M. x giganteus (Prasifka et al. 2009). The lack of reported insect herbivory on M. x giganteus may be related to few extensive survey efforts. However, in a 3-year intensive survey of invertebrates of M. x giganteus in the United Kindom, Semere & Slater (2007) found "no major pests." A similar 2-year survey in Germany noted 1 arthropod pest, Tetranychus urticae Koch (twospottted spider mite), a polyphagous, widespread species that causes damage during dry and hot weather (Gottwald & Adam 1998). The only documentation of an aphid feeding on M. x giganteus is from a laboratory study of aphid transmission of Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) (Huggett et al. 1999); however, they suggest that the genus Miscanthus is "nutritionally insufficient" for aphids. Visual observations and samples were taken from managed M. x giganteus plots from locations in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Nebraska in 2008. Samples were collected by hand or by vacuum sampler, (Burd & Porter 2009), and transported to the laboratory for species confirmation. Sipha flava was collected from 7 locations from 4 states in 2008 (Table 1) and was found on the lower leaves of both young and old plants, from 1-to 21-year old plantings (Fig. 1A). Some populations appeared to be large enough to cause leaf death (Fig. 1B). Generally, leaves infested with S. flava were yellow to reddish in color; similar symptoms have been noted in sugarcane (Nuessly 2005) and sorghum (Costa-Arbulu et al. 2001). Ants, Crematogaster cerasi (Fitch), were observed tending S. flava on 14 Jul 2008 in Champaign, IL, and similar tending activity was observed elsewhere throughout Illinois. Rhopalosiphum maidis, collected from 4 locations from 4 states (Table 1), was found only within the whorls of young M. x giganteus in first-year plantings (Fig. 1C, white arrow). In Champaign, IL, R. maidis populations occasionally co-infested M. x giganteus tillers with other recently-identified M. x giganteus herbivores, e.g., Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), (Prasifka et al. 2009) (Fig. 1C, black arrow). No conspicuous symptoms were associated with these infestations; however, very young tillers (4-6 expanded leaves) showed some yellowing of uppermost leaves. Multistate agronomic trials of M. x giganteus (as well as other bioenergy feedstock grasses) are underway in the United States with a renewed interest in both economically and environmentally sustainable energy production. Crops attacked by S. flava and R. maidis contributed to more than $6.4 billion of the 2007 U.S. sugar and grain production value (about 4% of the 2007 total U.S. crop production value) (USDA 2009). The broader purpose of this survey was to sample for common insect herbivores from known field establishments of M. x giganteus in North America. Twenty-one aphids are known to use Miscanthus (mostly M. sinensis) as a host; therefore, there is potential for aphid damage on M. x giganteus. This damage potential is especially concerning because most plant viruses are transmitted by aphids (Hull 2002) and R. maidis can transmit the RPV strain of BYDV to M. x giganteus (Huggett et al. 1999). However, expectations for sampling potential pests of M. x giganteus were reduced because of repeated references indicating that none should be found (e.g., Semere & Slater 2007; Atkinson 2009). [FIGURE 1 OMITTED] Captures of alate S. flava occur about 14 d earlier in the growing season than captures of alate R. maidis (David Voegtlin, unpublished data); however, infestations of S. flava are likely to occur even earlier, relative to R. maidis, because S. flava overwinter in northern latitudes. Such infestations of S. flava in M. x giganteus appear to have the potential to damage young plants, similar to infestations of S. flava in other crops (Long & Hensley 1972; Starks & Mirkes 1979; Breen & Teetes 1990). Indeed all of the surveyed plots, including young, small stands (Table 1), were infested with S. flava. Therefore, since aphids can locate these small plots of M. x giganteus, they inevitably will find larger, commercial-scale fields as well. Broadly speaking, this may result in a need for insect management decisions for this bioenergy feedstock and related crops; potentially resulting in a reevaluation of the input costs for economical bioenergy-crop production. Miscanthus x giganteus Greef and Deuter ex Hodkinson and Renvoize is being evaluated as a cellulosic feedstock for energy production in the United States. This is the first field report of Sipha flava (Forbes) and Rhopalosiphum maidis (Fitch) (Hemiptera: Homoptera: Aphididae) on M. x giganteus and the first report of these aphids on Miscanthus in the Western Hemisphere. A qualitative survey of managed M. x giganteus stands revealed S. flava or R. maidis populations at 7 sample locations in 4 states. The large populations of S. flava observed on young stands of M. x giganteus suggests their potential for economic importance. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We thank David Voegtlin and Doris Lagos, University of Illinois Natural History Survey, for helpful discussion and aphid identification. We thank Dr. Gregory Evans and one anonymous reviewer for their constructive comments. Additionally, we are grateful to Tom Voigt, Energy Biosciences Institute, University of Illinois, for assistance in locating M. x giganteus plots. REFERENCES CITED Atkinson, C. J. 2009. Establishing perennial grass energy crops in the UK: A review of current propagation options for Miscanthus. Biomass Bioenergy. 33: 752-759. Blackman, R. L., and Eastop, V. F. 2000. Aphids on the World's Crops: An Identification and Information Guide. John Wiley & Sons Ltd., London. 466 pp. Blackman, R. L., and Eastop, V. F. 2006. Aphids on the World's Herbaceous Plants and Shrubs. John Wiley & Sons Ltd., London. 1439 pp. Breen, J. P., and Teetes, G. L. 1990. Economic injury levels for yellow sugarcane aphid (Homoptera: Aphididae) on seedling sorghum. J. Econ. Entomol. 83: 1008-1014. Burd, J. D., and Porter, D. R. 2009. Biotypic diversity in greenbug (Hemiptera: Aphididae): characterizing new virulence and host associations. J. Econ. Ento mol. 99: 959-965. Clifton-Brown, J., Chiang, Y., and Hodkinson, T. 2008. Miscanthus: genetic resources and breeding potential to enhance bioenergy production, pp. 273-294 In W. Vermerris [ed.], Genetic Improvement of Bioenergy Crops. Springer Science+Business Media LLC. N. Y. 450 pp. Costa-Arbulu, C., Gianoli, E., Gonzales, W. L., and Niemyer, H. M. 2001. Feeding by the aphid Sipha flava produces a reddish spot on leaves of Sorghum halepense: an induced defense. J. Chem. Ecol. 27: 273-283. Gottwald, R., and Adam, L. 1998. Ergebnisse zu entomologischen erhebungen und zur unkrautbekamprung bei Miscanthus und anderen C4-pflanzen. Arch. Phytopathol. Plant Prot. 31: 377-386. Heaton, E. A., Dohleman, F. G., and Long, S. P. 2008. Meeting US biofuel goals with less land: the potential of Miscanthus. Global Change Biol. 14: 2000-2014. Hodkinson, T., Chase, M., Lledo, D., Salamin, N., and Renoize, S. 2002. Phylogenetics of Miscanthus, Saccharum and related genera (Saccharinae, Andropogoneae, Poaceae) based on DNA sequences from ITS nuclear ribosomal DNA and plastid trnL intron and trnL-F intergenic spacers. J. Plant Res. 115: 381-392. Huggett, D. A. J., Leather, S. R., and Walters, K. F. A. 1999. Suitability of the biomass crop Miscanthus sinensis as a host for the aphids Rhopalosiphum padi (L.) and Rhopalosiphum maidis (F.), and its susceptibility to the plant luteovirus Barley yellow dwarf virus. Agric. For. Entomol. 1: 143-149. Hull, R. 2002. Matthews' Plant Virology. Academic Press, London. 1001 pp. Long, W. H., and Hensley, S. D. 1972. Insect pests of sugar cane. Annu. Rev. Entomol. 17: 149-176. Nuessly, G. S. 2005. Yellow sugarcane aphid, Sipha flava (Forbes) (Insecta: Hemiptera: Aphididae). Featured creatures, EENY-354, Available online: entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/field/bugs/ yellow_sugarcane_aphid.htm. Prasifka, J. R., Bradshaw, J. D., Meagher, R. L., NA Goshi, R., Steffey, K. L., and Gray, M. E. 2009. Development and feeding of fall armyworm on Miscanthus x giganteus and switchgrass. J. Econ. Entomol. 102: 2154-2159. Semere, T., and Slater, F. 2007. Invertebrate populations in miscanthus (Miscanthus x giganteus) and reed canary-grass (Phalaris arundinacea) fields. Biomass Bioenergy. 31: 30-39. Starks, K., and Mirkes, K. 1979. Yellow sugarcane aphid (Homoptera, Aphididae)--plant-resistance in cereal crops. J. Econ. Entomol. 72: 486-488. [USDA] United States Department of Agriculture. 2009. Crop values 2008 summary. National Agricultural Statistics Service, February 2009. Jeffrey D. Bradshaw (1), Jarrad R. Prasifka (1), Kevin L. Steffey (2), and Michael E. Gray (3) (1) Energy Biosciences Institute, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL (2) Dow AgroSciences, Indianapolis, IN (3) Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL Supplemental material online at http://www.fcla.edu/FlaEnt/fe931.htm#InfoLink2 TABLE 1. LOCATION, COLLECTION DATE, CROP STAND SIZE, AND CROP
AGE FOR SIPHA FLAVA AND RHOPALOSIPHUM MAIDIS COLLECTED IN 2008
PROM MISCANTHUS X GIGANTEUS.
Coordinate altitude
Location (latitude/longitude) (m)
Mead, NE N41[degrees]10.42' W96[degrees]27.92' 360
Lexington, KY N38[degrees]07.77' W84[degrees]30.15' 275
West Lafayette, IN N40[degrees]26.52' W86[degrees]55.85' 192
Champaign, IL N40[degrees]05.38' W88[degrees]13.02' 757
Fairfield, IL N38[degrees]22.86' W88[degrees]23.40' 136
Brownstown, IL N38[degrees]57.05' W88[degrees]57.56' 182
Champaign, IL N40[degrees]06.39' W88[degrees]12.25' 742
species collected Stand
size age
Location Date S. flava R. maidis (ha) (years)
Mead, NE 26-Aug X X 0.1 <1
Lexington, KY 9-Sep X X 0.1 <1
West Lafayette, IN 9-Sep X X 0.1 <1
Champaign, IL 20-Aug X X 2.1 2
Fairfield, IL 9-Jul X -- <0.1 6
Brownstown, IL 30-Jul X -- <0.1 6
Champaign, IL 14-Jul X -- <0.1 21 |
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