Welcome
This is the 'Aphid/Virus Tracker' homepage containing information and resources designed to help producers manage pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum, and the viruses it vectors to legume crops in the Palouse region (northern Idaho and adjoining Washington State) of the USA.
Problem addressed
Although managing pea aphid to prevent direct injury to peas and lentils is relatively straightforward, managing as a virus vector is complicated. To do so effectively requires vigilant, early and aggressive treatment to suppress the aphid. In most years, however, this aggressive treatment is not necessary because aphid populations, virus in these aphids, or both remain low. During an aphid outbreak or epidemic year, however, virus injury can be severe and widespread in the region. These outbreaks are relatively rare based on a 25 year record . The last such outbreak occurred in 2005. Unfortunately, it is not yet possible to predict whether virus risk is great enough to merit aggressive treatment.
This site is designed to provide a set of resources to help producers determine when and how to treat pea aphids to prevent crop injury due to their feeding, to reduce injuryand diseases caused by the viruses the aphids vector.
Pea aphid (source: UCIPM)
A heavy infestation of pea aphids
Pea plant with virus symptoms
About the site and how to use it
This site has several resources for producers. These can be accessed by clicking on the links under "Navigation" on the side bar to the left, or in the highlighted text here. Aphid/Virus Tracker Home brings you back to this page. Late Breaking! contains news flashes concerning aphids and viruses based on our current observations, and related news about aphid vectored viruses in Idaho and elsewhere. The links below Aphid and Virus Patterns in the Palouse will show you summaries of the data on the timing and patterns of winged aphid arrival on the Palouse, and whether these aphids were carrying viruses, during this year and in prior years. Locations links show where we sampled. Each "Movie" is a series of maps showing aphid arrival and virus incidence across the Palouse for each sample date during the year. The links for This year, 2008, will be updated as the data are acquired. The Pea Aphid and Important Viruses it Vectors provides background on the insect and virus biology. Managing the Pea Aphid contains information on when and how to treat these aphids as direct pests and virus vectors in cool season legumes. Aphid Outbreaks Since 1983 summarizes the record based on observations of entomologists and plant pathologists. Feedback lets you email pea aphid project personnel with feedback about this site or observations you would like to have us transfer to the Late Breaking! page. Finally, we provide links to other resources potentially of interest. Enjoy!)
Coming features
As data are acquired, we will develop a forecasting system that provides estimates of virus risk based on weather and aphid data each season, and on maps showing how virus risk varies within the Palouse region.
Funded By USDA CSREES RAMP and Cool Season Food Legume Programs