Effects of aphid feeding and associated virus injury on grain crops in Australia

Abstract

We review yield effects caused by aphid feeding and associated virus injury to cereal, oilseed and pulse crops, and estimate the potential economic loss caused by aphids in Australia. Potential yield reduction due to aphids was determined through a survey of quantitative data from experiments that assessed aphids' effect on grain yield. In cereals, four aphids caused damage; on barley, feeding injury caused by Rhopalosiphum padi+Rhopalosiphum maidis was most damaging in terms of yield reduction (25.5%) with an economic loss of $19/ha. Barley yellow dwarf virus transmitted by R.padi+Sitobion miscanthi was more damaging than direct feeding, causing a yield reduction of 39% and economic los..