Russian Wheat Aphids are No Match for New Barley

Troublesome Russian wheat aphids hoping to feed and live comfortably on barley plants are in for bad news. Scientists from the US Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) developed a new barley variety that is highly resistant to the insect pest. Russian wheat aphids, or Diuraphis noxia, are major pests of cereal crops. In the first 20 years after its introduction into the US, the pest has caused wheat and barley farmers billions of dollars in losses.

Phil Bregitzer and his colleagues invested more than 10 years in developing the superior barley RWA-1758. The new variety offers barley growers in states such as Montana, Colorado, and Nebraska—where infestations of the insect can be severe—an effective, economical and environmentally sound way to quell the aphid. Bregitzer noted that cost-effective chemical controls are still not available for combating the insect. RWA-1758’s yields are on par with those of popular barley varieties.

Read the article at http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2008/081208.htm