Field experiments with the green peach aphid on tobacco were conducted at Blackstone, Virginia in 1983 and 1984. The objectives were to: 1) confirm and identify source materials resistant to the green peach aphid; 2) study the inheritance of aphid resistance; 3) verify heritability of resistant genotypes through F2 and advanced generation testing and 4) investigate the nature of the resistance. Results showed green peach aphid resistance in Tobacco Introductions 1462, 1118, 1112, 1024, breeding line 1-35 and cultivar NC 745. Inheritance studies showed that the resistance is a recessive trait controlled by three separate, non-linked loci; such that a homozygous recessive at any one locus will condition for the resistance reaction. Among the source materials, one locus conditioned the resistance shown by TI 1118, TI 1112 and breeding line I-35. A second independent locus conditioned the found in TI 1024 and a third independent locus conditioned the resistance observed in NC 745. Tobacco Introduction 1462 possessed alleles for resistance at both the second and third loci. Small aphid cages were of questionable value for studying the resistance reaction. Higher leaf temperatures were noted for the caged leaf surfaces and may be responsible for the unreliable results. Evaluation of F2, F3, F5, F5 populations developed from resistant x susceptible crosses indicated that aphid resistance is a heritable trait and is not closely linked to adverse agronomic quality characteristics. / Master of Science

Introducción general. Los pulgones representan una de las plagas más importantes económicamente en la agricultura mundial. Su impacto negativo se relaciona, en parte, con su capacidad de reproducirse por partenogénesis junto con un tiempo de generación corto, lo que les permite alcanzar altas densidades de población. El pulgón Myzus persicae es la plaga de pulgón más importante del mundo a nivel económico. Destaca especialmente por ser altamente polífago ya que se alimenta de más de 400 especies de plantas de 50 familias diferentes, afectando a importantes cultivos agrícolas y hortícolas. Además, M. persicae es vector de más de 100 enfermedades virales y es la especie de pulgón que ha desarrollado más mecanismos (al menos seis tipos) de resistencia a insecticidas. Por lo tanto, resulta de vital importancia la identificación de factores moleculares y mecanismos que contribuyan a las defensas de la planta y limiten la infestación del pulgón. El crecimiento de la población mundial y de la consiguiente demanda de alimentos requiere un mayor rendimiento de los cultivos, así como una mayor resistencia de estos a los estreses ambientales. Además, existe una tendencia social creciente a mejorar la producción de los cultivos a través de medios seguros y sostenibles que reduzcan el uso de pesticidas. En este sentido, comprender la naturaleza química de las complejas interacciones planta-pulgón resulta indispensable para optimizar la producción de nuevos cultivos. Los estudios realizados hasta el momento muestran que tanto la señalización como las respuestas de defensa son altamente específicas de interacciones planta-pulgón concretas. Esto destaca la importancia de estudiar sistemas específicos en lugar de basarse en los mecanismos descritos en plantas modelo. Desarrollo técnico. El objetivo principal de esta Tesis Doctoral es obtener una visión integrada de la dinámica espacial y temporal de la interacción planta-pulgón en una especie no modelo, pero de gran relevancia en la agricultura Mediterránea, como es el pimiento (Capsicum annuum L.). Para ello, se han caracterizado las respuestas químicas de las hojas del pimiento a la infestación por el pulgón verde del melocotonero Myzus persicae (Sulzer, 1776), utilizando la técnica de cromatografía líquida de alta resolución acoplada a espectrometría de masas. Los metabolitos analizados en esta tesis incluyen aminoácidos (como metabolitos primarios con función dual en las interacciones planta-pulgón), fitohormonas (implicadas en la señalización de la defensa de la planta), proteínas (proporcionan un análisis a gran escala del metabolismo a través de un enfoque proteómico) y ácidos fenólicos (como metabolitos secundarios con funciones en defensa). Además, se han realizado diferentes experimentos que incluyen un seguimiento detallado del curso temporal de la infestación (desde las 3 horas hasta los 7 días post-infestación) y también se ha realizado el análisis a nivel local y sistémico utilizando para ello trampas de tipo clip (clip cages). Conclusiones. 1. Diferentes análisis fitoquímicos, incluyendo hormonas involucradas en las rutas de señalización que controlan el crecimiento y las respuestas de defensa de las plantas, el estudio proteómico a gran escala, y el análisis de metabolitos primarios (aminoácidos) y secundarios (ácidos fenólicos), han demostrado que el pulgón verde del melocotonero Myzus persicae (Sulzer, 1776) a una baja densidad de infestación permanece sin ser detectado o no desencadena una respuesta de gran magnitud en las plantas de pimiento (Capsicum annuum L.). 2. M. persicae induce cambios significativos en la composición de aminoácidos libres de las hojas de pimiento, dependiendo tanto de la densidad de infestación como del tiempo post-infestación. 3. Mientras que a alta densidad M. persicae produce un gran incremento en el contenido total de aminoácidos libres, a baja densidad el contenido de aminoácidos libres disminuye considerablemente a los 7 días post-infestación. 4. El aumento en el contenido total de aminoácidos libres se debe principalmente a un incremento en los aminoácidos esenciales. En términos cuantitativos, los aminoácidos con mayor incremento en su contenido son los aromáticos fenilalanina y tirosina, los aminoácidos de cadena ramificada, valina, leucina e isoleucina, y un grupo formado por alanina, arginina, lisina, metionina y treonina. 5. El análisis de fitohormonas ha demostrado que la mayor parte de las respuestas ocurren a nivel local. 6. Las vías de señalización del ácido jasmónico y el ácido salicílico están ambas involucradas en las respuestas moleculares del pimiento a M. persicae. 7. La ruta de señalización del ácido jasmónico responde más rápidamente y con una mayor magnitud que la del ácido salicílico, la cual se induce sólo en las últimas etapas de la infestación. 8. Los niveles endógenos del ácido indolacético no se alteran significativamente en las plantas de pimiento en respuesta al pulgón, incluso bajo una elevada densidad de infestación. 9. Las plantas de pimiento infestadas con una alta densidad de pulgón muestran una reducción en la longitud del tallo, el número de hojas y el ancho de la hoja a los 7 días post-infestación. 10. El análisis proteómico ha revelado un patrón general en las respuestas de las proteínas de las hojas de pimiento al ataque del pulgón, según el cual la expresión de la mayor parte de las proteínas aumenta a tiempos cortos pero disminuye con el progreso de la infestación. 11. El pobre solapamiento observado entre las proteínas con expresión diferencial a diferentes tiempos de infestación indica que la mayoría de las proteínas se regulan solo de forma transitoria. 12. Un elevado número (46,8%) de las proteínas con expresión diferencial son cloroplásticas, lo que subraya la relevancia de este orgánulo en la respuesta de la planta a los pulgones. 13. La mayoría de los cambios se producen en proteínas que son necesarias para el funcionamiento de la planta en condiciones normales, incluyendo proteínas involucradas en fotosíntesis y fotorrespiración, metabolismo de aminoácidos y carbohidratos, traducción, y plegamiento y degradación de proteínas. Sin embargo, el número de proteínas directamente involucradas en la defensa de la planta es bajo y su expresión está mayoritariamente reprimida en respuesta al ataque del pulgón. 14. El análisis de los ácidos fenólicos libres ha revelado que una alta densidad de infestación por pulgón induce la alteración en el contenido de todos los ácidos fenólicos libres analizados en algún momento de la infestación, con excepción del ácido clorogénico. 15. Los ácidos gálico, p-hidroxibenzoico, cafeico, p-cumárico y sinápico aumentan su contenido en las hojas de pimiento a tiempos cortos de infestación (1 día) pero disminuyen por debajo del control (excepto el ácido sinápico) a tiempos más largos. 16. Los ácidos protocatéquico y salicílico muestran un patrón de variación opuesto en las hojas de pimiento en respuesta al pulgón.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Entomology / C. Michael Smith / The Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia (Kurdjumov) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) (RWA), is an important pest in the U.S. Western Plains, causing hundreds of millions of dollars of losses to wheat and barley production through reduced yields and insecticide application costs. The objectives of this research were to evaluate the performance of two RWA-resistant barley varieties planted approximately one month earlier than normal in experimental fields at Fort Collins, Colorado; Tribune, Kansas; and Sidney, Nebraska during 2007, 2008, and 2009. The experimental design was a split-plot design with two main plot treatments (early and normal planting dates), and four split plot treatments (barley varieties) that were randomized within each main treatment plot. The varieties included two RWA-barley resistant varieties, Sidney and Stoneham, and the susceptible variety, Otis, under thiamethoxam-protected and unprotected regimes. Sampling of RWA, other cereal aphids, and natural enemy populations was conducted on four dates from mid May through early July. RWA populations collected from early-planted plots (first week of March) were significantly lower than normal-planted plots in 2007-2009 at the Fort Collins, Colorado and Tribune, Kansas sites. In samples collected from early planting date plots, RWA-resistant varieties yielded RWA populations similar to those found on the insecticide-treated susceptible variety at both Fort Collins and Tribune. At the Sidney, Nebraska site, very low RWA populations were present and there were no differences between either planting date or varietal treatments. The combined effect of early planting and RWA-resistant varieties reduced RWA populations at the Fort Collins, Colorado site in all three years. Results were similar at the Tribune, Kansas site in 2007, but differences due to planting date or variety were not observed in 2008 or 2009. The lowest RWA populations occurred at the Sidney, Nebraska site, were independent of planting date and varietal treatments. The RWA-resistant barley varieties had no negative impact on populations of other cereal aphids compared to those found on the susceptible variety, Otis at any of the three research sites. The only treatment effective in reducing other cereal aphids was the insecticide, thiamethoxam. There was also no clear response of populations of other cereal aphids to different planting date. Neither the RWA-resistant barley varieties nor the systemic, short residual action insecticide treatment had adverse affects on the abundance of natural enemies.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Russian wheat aphid (Diuraphis noxia, Kurdj., Hemipetra, Aphididae, RWA) is an important pest of wheat, causing large-scale damage and yield losses. Various studies have been done at a transcriptomics level, including complementary DNA-amplified fragment length polymorphisms (cDNA-AFLPs), suppressive subtractive hybridization (SSH) and micro-array, which have identified genes putatively involved in RWA resistance. Even though these candidate genes have been identified, their role in host defence still needs to be verified using a functional genetics approach. In this study virus induced gene silencing (VIGS) using a barley stripe mosaic virus (BSMV) vector, has been utilized to knock-down candidate genes of interest in a wheat cultivar with the Dn1-resistance gene (TugelaDN). In this study it was hypothesized that genes involved in the hypersensitive response (HR) may contribute towards resistance and were thus targeted for silencing. These include glutathione-S-transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase Cu/Zn (SOD) and thylakoid-associated ascorbate peroxidase (tAPX). However, since aphid feeding also results in wounding, the genes were also analyzed under wounding only. Aphid fecundity is considered an indicator of involvement in RWA resistance, as susceptible plants result in higher aphid fertility. Findings in the study suggest that with wounding only, that Dn1 containing plants produce a greater hypersensitive response than susceptible controls. Ascorbate peroxidase was found to be important for wounding-induced resistance in Dn1 wheat plants. Under infestation conditions, silencing of superoxide dismutase Cu/Zn (SOD) and thylakoid-associated ascorbate peroxidase (tAPX) was found not to have an effect on aphid fertility and thus are not directly involved in resistance signaling. Knock-down of a phi-class glutathione-S-transferase F6 (TaGSTF6) transcripts however, had a large effect on aphid nymph numbers and thus may contribute to Dn1-resistance. Putative resistance genes silenced under aphid infestation conditions were a nucleotide binding protein (NBP) and resistance gene analogue 2 (RGA2). Analysis of NBP revealed its identity as a part of the iron homeostasis machinery in the cytosol, responsible for Fe-cluster assembly. Silencing of both NBP and RGA2 resulted in the expression of a susceptible phenotype. T10rga2-1A is an NBS-LRR protein known to be required for rust resistance in concert with resistance gene Lr10. T10rga2-1D silenced treatments resulted in susceptibility and plant death after aphid infestation, suggesting that T10rga2-1D may be a good up-stream candidate in Dn1-resistance. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Russiese-koringluis (RWA) is ‘n pes wat ‘n belangrike ekonomiese invloed op koring opbrengste het en infestasie kan tot grootskaalse skade en oes verlies lei. Verskeie studies, onder andere komplimentêre DNA amplifiseerde fragment polimorfismes (cDNA-AFLPs), onderdrukkende onderskeidende hibridisaie (SSH) en mikro-reekse wat voorheen op transkriptomiese vlak gedoen is, het moontlike gene wat by RWA weerstand betrokke is, geïdentifiseer. Alhoewel hierdie gene reeds geidentifiseer was, hulle rol is nogtans onbekend. Dié gene moet nog getoets word, duur funksionele genetiese benaderingste maak. In hierdie studie is ‘n gars streep mosaïek virus vektor (BSMV) gebruik om kandidaat-gene van belang in ‘n Dn1-weerstandige geen-bevattende kultivar (TugelaDN) te onderdruk. Ondrukking van gene het deur middel van virus geïnduseerde geen onderdrukking (VIGS) plaasgevind. In hierdie studie is die hipotese gestel dat die gene betrokke by die hipersensitiewe reaksie (HR) ‘n invloed op plantweerstand kan hê en is dus geteiken vir geen-onderdrukking-studies. Hierdie gene het die volgende ingesluit: glutatioon-S-transferase (GST), superoksied dismutase Cu/Zn (SOD) en askorbien peroksidase (APX). Egter, omdat luisinfestasie ook tot verwonding aanleiding gee, is die onderdrukte gene ook onder alleenlik verwondingstoestande getoets. Luis vrugbaarheid is gebruik as indikator van betrokkenheid omdat meer vatbare plante ‘n hoër luis vrugbaarheid tot gevolg het. In die studie is gevind dat onder alleenlik verwondingkondisies, plante wat Dn1 bevat, ‘n groter hipersensitiewe respons vertoon, as vatbare kontroles. Daar is verder gevind dat askorbien peroksidase ‘n belangrike rol tydens verwondings-geïnduseerde weerstand in Dn1-plante speel. Daar is verder bevind dat die onderdrukking van superoksied dismutase Cu/Zn (SOD) en ‘n tilakoïed-geassosïeerde askorbien peroksidase (tAPX). Onder luis-infestasie kondisies, geen effek op luisvrugbaarheid gehad het nie en dus nie direk by die weerstandsrespons betrokke is nie. Die onderdrukking van ‘n phi-klas glutatioon-S-transferase F6 (TaGSTF6) het egter ‘n groot invloed op luis-vrugbaarheid gehad en kan dus ‘n rol in Dn1-weerstand speel. Die moontlike weerstands gene, geïdentifiseer as nukleotied bindings proteïen (NBP) en weestandsgeen anoloog 2 (T10rga2-1D), is getoets onder luis-infestasie kondisies. Die analise van NBP het getoon dat dit ‘n integrale deel van die yster homeostase meganisme in die sitosol, wat vir Fe-kluster samestelling verantwoordelik is, vorm. Onderdrukking van beide die NBP en T10rga2-1D het tot die uitdrukking van ‘n vatbare fenotipe aanleiding gegee. T10rga2-1A is ‘n NBS-LRR proteïen wat bekend is om noodsaaklik te wees tydens roes weerstandigheid in teenwoordigheid van die weerstandsgeen Lr10. T10rga2-1D-onderdrukte behandelings het tot vatbaarheid aangeiding gegee en daartoe gelei dat plante na luis-infestasies doodgaan. Hierdie resultate dui dus ‘n rol vir T10rga2-1D in Dn1-weerstandigheid aan, en suggereer verder dat hierdie geen ‘n goeie stroom-op kandidaat in Dn1-weerstandigheid is.

Insects are often infected with facultative endosymbiotic bacteria, which can have a range of important ecological effects. The grain aphid, Sitobion avenae, harbours diverse facultative symbionts, which suggests their importance in grain aphid biology. This thesis attempts to explain the ecological roles of the facultative endosymbionts in S. avenae. It also examines the question of whether the horizontal transmission of symbionts between aphid clones and species can be important for shaping the ecology and evolution of multi-species aphid communities. Novel techniques developed for research with the grain aphid study system are presented. Grain aphid clones vary in their tolerance to low temperatures, but this trait is not affected by their facultative endosymbionts. Strains of a symbiont Hamiltonella defensa do not protect grain aphids from hymenopterous parasitoids, regardless of the host genotype. However, experienced parasitoid females preferentially oviposit in aphids which do not harbour symbionts. Comparison of the fitness consequences of infection with the same Hamiltonella strains in their original and in novel grain aphid host clones reveal no consistent differences. Symbiont strains establish easily following artificial transfer between clones of the grain aphid, but the symbionts transferred from other aphid species form less stable infections. Hamiltonella strains do not affect the fecundity of their grain aphid host clones regardless of their host species of origin, but also do not generally confer protection against parasitoids. There are no clear patterns in the distribution of parasitoid-resistant phenotypes across phylogenetic trees of Hamiltonella and its bacteriophage APSE. Strains of four unrelated species of endosymbionts, Rickettsia, Spiroplasma, Rickettsiella and Regiella, confer the same pathogen-resistant phenotype to a single pea aphid clone. The same symbiont strains can confer resistance to clones of two different aphid species. Some strains in multiple infections may compensate for the costs of infections with other symbionts. The importance of these results for understanding the ecological and evolutionary role of facultative endosymbionts in aphids and other insects are discussed, and directions for further research are proposed.

Os efeitos do algodoeiro geneticamente modificado Bollgard®, que expressa a toxina Cry1Ac de Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), em artrópodes não-alvo, foram avaliados através de estudos conduzidos em laboratório e em campo. Avaliações da abundância de artrópodes em algodoeiro Bollgard® (Delta Pine 90) e em sua isolinha (Acala 90) foram conduzidas durante três anos agrícolas consecutivos, sendo o primeiro estudo conduzido em Leme-SP (2005/2006) e os dois anos seguintes em Piracicaba-SP (2006/2007 e 2007/2008). Foram realizadas amostragens dos organismos da superfície do solo, através de armadilhas do tipo pitfall (14 coletas), e de artrópodes da mesofauna dos cinco centímetros superficiais do solo coletados com cilíndros metálicos e extraídos em equipamento do tipo Berlese-Tullgren modificado (16 coletas) e de organismos da parte aérea presentes nas folhas (17 amostragens de folhas apicais e 12 de folhas medianas). Foram processados 27.420 organismos das armadilhas do tipo pitfall e 297.696 extraídos por Berlese-Tullgren modificado. Os principais grupos de organismos coletados nos dois tipos de armadilhas foram Acari (Oribatida, Mesostigmata, Prostigmata, Astigmata e outros), Collembola e Formicidae. Chilopoda, Diplura e outros artrópodes (Aranae e larvas de insetos) também foram comuns nas extrações por Berlese-Tullgren modificado, enquanto Coleoptera (Nitidulidae, Carabidae, Staphylinidae, Mycetophagidae e outros) foram abundantes em pitfall. Embora em algumas amostragens tenham sido observadas diferenças significativas na abundância de alguns grupos de organismos edáficos, entre as parcelas com algodoeiro Bt e parcelas com a isolinha, estas diferenças não foram constantes em datas de amostragem de um mesmo ano e/ou não foram detectadas em diferentes anos agrícolas. A dinâmica de quatro espécies de oribatídeos foi monitorada durante os três anos agrícolas e revelou uma maior prevalência de Scheloribates praeincisus, seguido de Galumna glabra, Protoribates sp. e P. praeoccupatus, sendo que a proporção destas últimas três espécies variou em função do ano de coleta. As densidades populacionais de mosca-branca (Aleyrodidae) e de tripes (Thysanoptera) foram semelhantes entre as áreas com algodoeiro Bt e com sua isolinha. A densidade populacional de pulgões (Aphidoidea) foi maior no algodoeiro Bt do que na isolinha somente em cinco das 29 coletas. A abundância de ácaros predadores fitoseídeos foi menor no algodoeiro Bt do que na isolinha em três coletas enquanto a abundância de ácaros fitófagos da família Tetranychidae foi maior no algodoeiro Bt em seis coletas. Uma espécie de Tetranychidae, Mononychellus planki, e outra de Phytoseiidade, Neoseiulus californicus, foram selecionadas para análise comparativa da biologia destes em algodoeiro Bt e na sua isolinha. Não foram detectadas diferenças na duração da fase imatura de M. planki e na biologia de N. californicus no algodoeiro Bt em relação à isolinha. Em geral, não há evidências de que a abundância de artrópodes nos três anos agrícolas tenha sido alterada pelo cultivo do algodoeiro geneticamente modificado Bollgard®. / The effects of the genetically modified cotton (Bollgard®) expressing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Cry1Ac toxin on non-target arthropods was evaluated under laboratory and field studies. Evaluations of arthropod abundance on Bollgard® cotton (Delta Pine 90) and on its isoline (Acala 90) were carried out during three consecutive field seasons. The first study was conducted in Leme-SP (2005/2006) and the following two field seasons were conducted in Piracicaba-SP (2006/2007 and 2007/2008). Soil surface organisms were collected using pitfall traps (14 samples). Mesofauna arthropods from the 5-cm soil surface were collected with metallic cylinders and extracted with modified Berlese-Tullgren equipment (16 samples). From the aerial portion of the plant, arthropods were sampled from leaves (17 samples from apical leaves and 12 samples from median leaves). From the pitfall traps and from the modified Berlese-Tullgren 27,420 and 297,696 organisms, respectively, were collected. The main arthropod groups collected in both types of traps were Acari (Oribatida, Mesostigmata, Prostigmata, Astigmata among others), Collembola and Formicidae. Chilopoda, Diplura and other arthropods (Aranae and insect larvae), were also common in extractions of the modified Berlese-Tullgren, while the pitfall traps revealed also abundance of Coleoptera (Nitidulidae, Carabidae, Staphylinidae, Mycetophagidae and others). Although, among some samples, we had observed significant differences in abundance of some soil organisms between Bt-cotton and isoline plots, these differences were not constant among sample dates from the same year and/or were not detected among different field seasons. Population dynamics of four oribatidae species was monitored during all field seasons and revealed major prevalence of Scheloribates praeincisus, followed by Galumna glabra, Protoribates sp. and P. praeoccupatus. However, the proportion of these last three species varied among field seasons. Population density of whiteflies (Aleyrodidae) and thrips (Thysanoptera) were not different between Bt-cotton and isoline plots. In five out of 29 sample dates, population density of aphids (Aphidoidea) was lower on Bt-cotton than on its isoline. Abundance of Phitoseiidae predatory mites was smaller on Bt cotton than on its isoline in three samples, while the abundance of Tetranychidae phytophagous mites was higher on Bt cotton in six samples. The biology of one species of Tetranychidae, Mononychellus planki, and one species of Phytoseiidade, Neoseiulus californicus, was investigated on Bt cotton and on its isoline. We did not detect any significant differences in duration of immature phase of M. planki and on the biology of N. californicus between cotton genotypes. In general, throughout three field seasons, there was no evidence that the abundance of arthropods has been altered by genetically modified Bollgard® cotton.

Errata and addenda attached. Bibliography: leaves 195-211. This thesis is concerned with the biology of Eriosoma lanigerum (WAA) and its parasitoid (Aphelinus mali), the impact of the pest on the crop and the effects of pesticides used routinely in South Australian orchards on both woolly apple aphid and the parasitic wasp. The study identifies current management practices of apple growers in South Australia. Aspects of the biology of WAA and A.mali are examined. Work is also done on the toxicity against WAA and A.mali of insecticides used in the control of codling moth and phytophagous mites. The effects of WAA infestation on the growth of young trees are investigated. The seasonal activity of WAA on mature trees is determined over a two season period.

Graduation date: 1995

Errata and addenda attached. / Bibliography: leaves 195-211. / xviii, 211 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / This thesis is concerned with the biology of Eriosoma lanigerum (WAA) and its parasitoid (Aphelinus mali), the impact of the pest on the crop and the effects of pesticides used routinely in South Australian orchards on both woolly apple aphid and the parasitic wasp. The study identifies current management practices of apple growers in South Australia. Aspects of the biology of WAA and A.mali are examined. Work is also done on the toxicity against WAA and A.mali of insecticides used in the control of codling moth and phytophagous mites. The effects of WAA infestation on the growth of young trees are investigated. The seasonal activity of WAA on mature trees is determined over a two season period. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Crop Protection, 1997

Thesis (MSc (Genetics))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / The Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko), is a serious insect pest of wheat and barley. It affects the quality and yield of grain by sucking plant sap from the newest growth whilst toxic substances are injected that destroy plant tissue. The Russian wheat aphid also acts as a vector of plant viruses. The cultivation of aphid resistant cultivars is the preferred control strategy and nine resistance genes, designated Dn1 to Dn9, have been identified. Another undesignated gene, Dnx, was found in the wheat accession PI220127. Mapping of the resistance genes relative to known markers will improve their use in breeding programs. The dominant RWA resistance gene, Dn5, was identified in the accession PI294994 and mapped to chromosome arm 7DL. However, recent reports have placed Dn5 on ...