Suggestions for prevention and control of wheat aphids

1. Introduction

Wheat may be affected by various issues, including climate factors (hail, drought, and floods), pests (insects, crustaceans), diseases (fungi, bacteria, and viruses), and weeds.

Undoubtedly, aphids are one of the main early problems affecting wheat among pests. Due to their high reproductive capacity, parthenogenesis, viviparity, and polymorphism, if not detected in a timely manner, these insects may cause significant yield losses, as wheat is highly sensitive to this pest.

The damage caused by aphids can be direct or indirect. When they extract sap from their leaves, direct damage occurs due to the saliva they inject, which has a phytotoxic effect. This can lead to wilting, yellowing, spot formation, reduced yield, and may even result in plant death depending on the severity of the attack and the condition of the crop. They are also a cause of some indirect damage, as they are vectors of important viral diseases.

From the beginning of crops, attention should be paid to and monitoring should be carried out to detect aphids, especially in dry years with mild temperatures. In rainy season, aphids often fall off from plants, thus reducing their incidence rate. Temperatures above 30 ° C will inhibit their reproduction.