We extend detection of arthropod predator gut contents by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), heretofore restricted to insect predators, to spiders. Single individuals of the corn lead aphid, Rhopalosiphum maidis, were detected in the guts of spiderlings of Oxyopes salticus up to 12 h after feeding; individuals of the congeneric bird cherry oat aphid, R. padi, were not detected. Unfed O. salticus ...

Plants differ greatly in their susceptibility to insect herbivory, suggesting both local adaptation and resistance tradeoffs. We used maize (Zea mays) recombinant inbred lines to map a quantitative trait locus (QTL) for the maize leaf aphid (Rhopalosiphum maidis) susceptibility to maize Chromosome 1. Phytochemical analysis revealed that the same locus was also associated with high levels of 2-h...

Plants show considerable within-species variation in their resistance to insect herbivores. In the case of Zea mays (cultivated maize), Rhopalosiphum maidis (corn leaf aphids) produce approximately twenty times more progeny on inbred line B73 than on inbred line Mo17. Genetic mapping of this difference in maize aphid resistance identified quantitative trait loci (QTL) on chromosomes 4 and 6, wi...

The yellow dwarf viruses (YDVs) of the Luteoviridae family represent the most widespread group of cereal viruses worldwide. They include the Barley yellow dwarf viruses (BYDVs) of genus Luteovirus, the Cereal yellow dwarf viruses (CYDVs) and Wheat yellow dwarf virus (WYDV) of genus Polerovirus. All of these viruses are obligately aphid transmitted and phloem-limited. The first described YDVs (i...

The Asian citrus psyllid Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae) is an economically important pest of citrus because it serves as a vector of the causal pathogens of huanglongbing (HLB) also known as citrus greening disease. The increased use of insecticides for control of D. citri negatively impacts several natural enemies including some effective ladybeetle species which are not avail...

The RMV strain of Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV-RMV) is an unassigned member of the Luteoviridae that causes barley yellow dwarf in various cereal crops. The virus is most efficiently vectored by the aphid Rhopalosiphum maidis, but can also be vectored with varying efficiency by R. padi and Schizaphis graminum. Field collections of alate aphids migrating into the emerging winter wheat crop in...