The potential of genotypically diverse cultivar mixtures for controlling aphid populations in wheat
Open Access
- Author:
- Shoffner, Alexandra Victoria
- Area of Honors:
- Interdisciplinary in Biology and Entomology
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- John Frazier Tooker, Thesis Supervisor
Dr. Stephen Blair Hedges, Thesis Honors Advisor
Dr. Michael Craig Saunders, Thesis Honors Advisor - Keywords:
- cultivar
genotypic diversity
pest
productivity
Rhopalosiphum padi L.
wheat
volatiles - Abstract:
- 1. Traditionally, plant species diversity was thought to be the primary driver of arthropod species diversity; however, recent research has shown that genotypic diversity can be at least as important as species diversity in structuring arthropod communities. Genotypic diversity has already been exploited in some agricultural systems to improve disease control, and has promise for managing a wide range of insect species as well. 2. I investigated the effect of wheat genotypic diversity on aphid population growth (Rhopalosiphum padi L.) to explore the potential for genotypic diversity in a crop species to manage an insect pest. Increasingly genotypically diverse mixtures of wheat had lower aphid populations, and genotypic mixtures grown in the absence of aphids were more productive than monocultures. 3. Volatiles emitted by non-infested genotypic mixtures were analyzed to determine a possible mechanism influencing aphid choice. Mixtures of wheat emitted more volatiles than monocultures, but the component volatiles emitted were not different. 4. These results suggest that genotypic mixtures could be an effective method for managing insect pests in crop fields. Volatiles may influence aphid choice in such a way that causes mixtures to be less desirable than monocultures.