Green peach aphid does not overwinter in the northern Great Plains. Populations are reestablished each spring by long distance migrants transported from southern locations on upper air streams. These migrants colonize and increase on a wide variety of crop and weed hosts, e.g, potato, canola, and wild mustard. Subsequent local dispersal of winged adults begins in late June or early July and peaks in early August. In recent years, seed potato producers of this region have experienced catastrophic losses from aphid transmitted potato viruses. Before 1995, green peach aphid was seldom abundant in potato fields of this region. The increased abundance of green peach aphid since 1995 is attributed to a substantial expansion of canola acreage in potato producing counties and greatly increased use of fungicide on potato to control a new strain of potato late blight. Fungicide use can flare aphid outbreaks on potato by suppressing entomopathogenic fungi that are obligate aphid parasites. A regional aphid trapping network, Aphid Alert, monitors flight activity of the species known to be potential vectors of potato viruses. Special attention is given to green peach aphid, since it colonizes potato and is the most efficient vector of both PVY and PLRV. Climatic factors that influence seasonal green peach aphid abundance include: date of the region's last killing frost, the frequency, duration, and dates of occurrence of weather events suitable for the long distance transport of migrant aphids to the region, and local heat unit accumulations from time of colonization. A weighted index has been developed to predict green peach aphid pressure and risk of virus transmission.
Species 1: Hemiptera Aphididae Myzus persicae (green peach aphids)
Keywords: potato virus, forecasting
The ESA 2001 Annual Meeting - 2001: An Entomological Odyssey of ESA