wheat

Sitobion avenae and Rhopalosiphum padi, otherwise known as the grain aphid and bird cherry-oat aphid, are the two main species of cereal aphids.

Causing Damage 

Depending on weather conditions, winged aphids migrate in late May to early June and in hot dry summers populations can increase quickly. Grain aphid, Sitobion avenae, causes direct feeding damage from flag leaf development through to dough ripe stages and feeds on the ears. It can cause significant yield losses and affect the quality of bread making wheat. Large amounts of honeydew are exuded on which sooty moulds quickly develop, giving the heads a dirty appearance. Infestations which develop later than the flowering stage are of less consequence economically. In the autumn it can vector BYDV.

Sitobion avenae, the grain aphid, is the biggest carrier of BYDV throughout the north of England. Rhopalosiphum paid, the bird cherry-oat aphid is the main carrier of BYVD in the south of England. 

Appearance 

The adult aphids are 2-3mm in length and the colour can vary from yellow, green, red or purple. Their siphunculi and antennae are black in colour. 

Control Recommendations 

The control of summer populations is recommended if aphids are present on more than 50% of the tillers at the start of flowering. Pyrethroid insecticides have provided relatively low-cost control but resistance to them is evolving. It is important that full recommended pyrethroid field rates are used. If control remains poor, a pyrethroid-based product should not be used again and growers should switch to an insecticide with an alternative mode of action.

Conservation of natural enemies such as parasitoid wasps and carabid beetles can reduce the need for insecticide use. Flowering field margins and other areas of uncropped land containing wildflower mixtures attract parasitoids and provide cover for other predators. Avoidance of pesticide use when aphid populations are low can help to conserve natural enemies, reducing the reliance on insecticides. 

In the autumn, if aphids are invading, a pyrethroid spray is recommended when the first leaves appear to reduce BYDV risk. If the pyrethroid treatment does not work use an alternative insecticide because there could be pyrethroid resistance. By growth stage 31 (stem elongation) cereals are more tolerant to BYDV spread.

Related Links

 

Information and  from Rothamsted's Croprotect webpage supported by BBSRC NERC Sustainable Agriculture Research & Innovation Club

Related Organisations

Content below is from across the PEP community and is not necessarily endorsed by Stewards or by PEP

Connected Content

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Integrated Pest Management highlights the growth of a healthy crop with the least possible disruption to agro-ecosystems and encourages natural pest control mechanisms. IPM is one of the tools for low-pesticide-input pest management, and IPM must now be implemented by all professional agchem users.

Peach-Potato Aphid (PPA)

The Peach-Potato Aphid (PPA) known as Mysus persicae is known to feed on a wide range of plants including several grown as crops.  They are known to transmit viruses to crop plants including Turnips Yellow Virus (TuYV) which can lead to yield reductions in oilseed rape.

Pests

Invertebrate pests cause problems in agriculture when the level of injury they cause reaches a point where the crop yield is significantly reduced.   

Pest Identification

This area is for identification of pest and beneficial insects and invertebrates.

UK Aphid Monitoring Network

AHDB webpage highlighting the national network of aphid suction traps and yellow water traps run by Rothamsted Insect Survey, supported by BBSRC. Delivering regional information on aphid species and numbers, this monitoring resource can help guide insecticide treatment decisions.

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