Rhopalosiphum Maidis, As a Key to Greenbug , Schizaphis Graminum, Biological Control in Grain Sorghum, Sorghum Bicolor
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Corn Leaf Aphid, Rhopalosiphum maidis, as a Key to Greenbug , Schizaphis graminum, Biological Control in Grain Sorghum, Sorghum bicolor G. J. Michels Jr. 1 and J. H. Matis 2 1 Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, Amarillo, TX, USA 2 Texas A&M Department of Statistics, College Station, TX, USA Materials and Methods • From 1988 to 2000, with the eexceptionxception of 1992, 33 “field“field--years”years” of data on aphids, predators and parasitoids were collected in irrigated and rainfed grain sorghum fields. • A “field year” is defined as one fifieldeld sampled throughout the growing season. • At the USDA-USDA-ARSARS Crop Production Research Laboratory at BhldPttCTXdtBushland, Potter Co., TX, data were co lltdf12llected for 12 years in irrigated and four years in rain-rain-fedfed grain sorghum fields. At the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station North Plains Research Field at Etter, Moore Co., TX, data were collected for seven years in iiirriga tdted an d s ix years in ra ifdinfed gra in sorg hum fildfields. • Two additional fields were sampled in Oldham Co. (irrigated) and in Gray Co., TX, (rainfed) in 1994 and two fields were sampled in Parmer Co.,,,( TX, (one irrig ated and one rainfed ) in 1995. • Standard agronomic practices for grain sorghum production were followed each year. • Fifty consecutive plants down a field row from a random starting point were examined by hand. Predator and parasitoid numbers/plant were recorded on standardized data sheets. Materials and Methods • After completing predator and parasitoid sampling, 12 plants were randomly selected from within the 50-50-plantplant sample, cut off at the base, and all corn leaf aphids and greenbugs were counted. • The process was repeated 12 times at each sampling date, giving a to tal o f 600 pl ant s sampl ed for pred at ors and parasit o ids an d 144 plants sampled for aphids. • Different numbers of plants were sampled for beneficial insects and aphids in order to: 1. Obtain accurate aphid counts, especially corn leaf aphids which are often found deep in the whorl, 2. Time and personnel considerations, 3. Remov ing 600 pl ant per week f rom a parti cu lar fie ld dur ing the season could have adverse effects on the distribution of aphid and beneficial insects. • The same samppgling routine was carried out each year. We be gan observing fields in early June and sampling started when corn leaf aphids first began to appear in the field and continued on a weekly basis until greenbug densities dropped to zero for two consecutive weeks. At times, heavyyp rains prevented sam pgpling on a strict seven-seven- day interval. However, samples were taken as closely as possible to the planned sampling date. The sorghum ecosystem is a wonderful world unto itself. As complllex as many largearge--scascallle systems. A primary producer (sorghum) hosts at least two herbivores ((pcorn leaf aphid and greenbug), which are attacked by a number of predators and two to three species of parasitoids. In addition to being a convenient plant to work with, sorghum is an important source of grain for animal feed, and may become a source for biofuel feedstock. It is important to understand the interrelationships in this system if wise pest management decision are to be made. We’ll start by looking at the players. Corn Leaf Aphid, Rhopalosiphum maidis, is found annually on grain sorghum. Because it feeds in the whorl and upper leaves, it draws nutrient from the sink of the plant and causes little economic damage. The greenbug, Schizaphis graminum, on the other hand, colonizes the bottom of the plant, the source, and redirects photosynthates away from the head, thus depr iithdiving the deve liloping hdfthhead of the necessary nu titftrients for goo dildd yield. Greenbug damage is beginning to appear as reddish spotdthlllts under the small colony. These colonies grow rapidly, jjgoining other colonies and covering the leaf Greenbug damage can become very severe as noted on the bottom leaves of this plant. The Convergent Ladybeetle, Hippodamia convergens, is the dominant ladybeetle speciiTies in Texas HihHigh-Pla ins sorg hum The Sinuate Ladybeetle, Hippodamia sinuata, is the secondtd most common ladybeetle in our sorghum fields WaxWax--encrustedencrusted Scymnus pullus loweii larvae feeding on corn leaf aphids are commonlbtthiitilly seen, but their impact is poorly understood. Al?ThfitA new player? The first HiidiHarmonia axyridis were recorded in sorghum in 2007. What will their future impact be on greenbug biocontrol? Other coccinellids found occasionallyyg in our sorghum fields include Adalia bipunctata, Coleomegilla maculata, H. parenthesis, and Olla vv--nigrumnigrum. Aphids parasitized by Lysiphlebus testaceipes. Other parasitoid species include Aphelinus varipes Parasitoids are an and Diaeretiella rapae. important part of grain sorghum ecology. However, for this work their ititimpact is not included. All parasitoid species attack aphids late in the season. In most cases this is long after the aphids have reached their peak abundance. Only when chemical applications are mismanaged do parasitoids play a crucial role in biological control. The Problem and A Graphical Look at the Field Observations In the early 1980s, aphids in sorghum were controlled by aerial chemical applications. Timing was based on seeing “slick leaves” caused by corn leaf aphid honeydew. Not a very sophisticated strategy! This method of control often required multiple applications. Spraying ffffor corn leaf aphids often disrupted or eliminated predators. Research by Kring et al. (1985) clearly indicated that predaceous coccinellids were key to greenbug biological control, and this research prompted us to examine the interactions amonggp the aphids and predators. Exam ples of the findin gs for corn leaf a phid and greenbu g for our 23 “field“field--years”years” follow. Average Aphids per Plant 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1 1700 1800 1900 2000 1000 100 600 700 800 900 600 200 300 400 500 0 6/23/88 7/29/88 9/7/88 6/28/89 8/2/89 6/13/90 7/18/90 8/29/90 Bushland Irrigated 7/20/92 8/26/92 7/23/93 8/27/93 Corn Leaf Aphids Greenbugs 7/22/94 8/24/94 7/19/95 Leaf 8/23/95 7/11/96 Aphids 8/13/96 7/21/97 8/25/97 6/30/98 8/6/98 7/14/99 8/24/99 6/15/00 7/24/00 8/28/00 Average Aphids per Plant 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000 1000 100 600 700 800 900 200 300 400 500 0 Greenbugs Corn Leaf Aphids Leaf Bushland Rainfed Aphids 7/21/97 8/25/97 6/30/98 8/6/98 7/14/99 8/24/99 6/15/00 7/27/00 Average Aphids per Plant 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000 1000 100 600 700 800 900 200 300 400 500 0 Greenbugs Corn Leaf Aphids Etter Irrigated Etter 7/26/94 8/29/94 6/30/95 8/1/95 9/8/95 7/25/96 7/10/97 8/28/97 7/14/98 9/1/98 6/16/99 7/28/99 7/6/00 8/15/00 Average Aphids per Plant 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000 1000 100 600 700 800 900 200 300 400 500 0 Greenbugs Corn Leaf Aphids Etter Rainfed Etter 7/20/95 8/25/95 7/3/96 8/14/96 6/26/97 8/1/97 9/11/97 6/23/98 8/5/98 6/30/99 8/19/99 7/18/00 Average Aphids per Plant 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000 1000 100 700 800 900 200 300 400 500 600 0 Other Irrigated: Oldham Co. 1994, Parmer Co. 1995 Greenbugs Corn Leaf Aphids 7/8/94 8/11/9 7/3/95 8/7/95 9/12/9 Other Rainfed: Gray Co. 1994, Parmer Co. 1995 2000 1900 1800 1700 nt 1600 Corn Leaf Aphids aa 1500 1400 Greenbugs 1300 per Pl 1200 ss 1100 1000 900 800 e Aphid 700 gg 600 500 400 Avera 300 200 100 0 2/9 /94 1/9 /95 /95 11 88 11 33 77 7/ 8/ 7/ 8/ 9/ 10000 All Fields 1000 /plant yy 100 bug densit nn 10 Peak gree Peak 1 -25 -20 -15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15 20 25 DditifDays deviation from sorg hbtthhum boot stage when corn lfhidleaf aphids average 100lt100 per plant Graphing peak greenbug density per plant vs. the deviation in days from the sorghum boot stage when corn leaf aphids reach an average of 100/plant indicates that greenbugs never reached damaging numbers when corn leaf aphids reached this abundance before boot stage. S. graminum peak, Day 229 First S. graminum , Day 215 Predator peak, Day 212 R. maidis peak, Day 202 First predator egg, Day 200 R. maidis = 100, Day 195 Seasonal Occurrence of Aphids and Predators in Irrigated Sorghum Fields (95% CI) Sorghum Boot, Day 195 188 190 192 194 196 198 200 202 204 206 208 210 212 214 216 218 220 222 224 226 228 230 232 234 236 238 Day of the YeYear ar - Ημέρα του έτους The seasonal events in irrigated fields associated with sorghum, the aphids, and predaceous coccinellids point to corn leaf aphid as a critical factor. Note that greenbug abundance peaks significantly after the predator peak. S. graminum peak, Day 232 Predator peak, Day 216 R. maidis peak, Day 214 First S. graminum , Day 210 First predator egg, Day 206 R. maidis = 100, Day 202 Seasonal Occurrence of Aphids and Predators in Rainfed Sorghum Fields (95% CI) Sorghum Boot, Day 195 188 190 192 194 196 198 200 202 204 206 208 210 212 214 216 218 220 222 224 226 228 230 232 234 236 238 Day of the YeYear ar - Ημέρα του έτους The seasonal events in rainrain--fedfed fields are much more variable, probably due to climatic conditions.