Effect of Russian wheat aphid on cold hardiness and winterkill of overwintering winter wheat

Russian wheat aphid (RWA) (Diruaphis noxia (Mordvilko)) is a new and cold-hardy pest of temperate cereals in western Canada. In view of the risk of fall infestation of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L. em. Thell.), this study was made to establish whether feeding by RWA can interfere with cold hardening and plant survival of overwintering winter wheat. Feeding by RWA significantly increased the LT50 of field-hardened Norstar winter wheat by + 2 to + 4 °C. Application of 400 g (a.i.) ha −1 of the insecticide chlorpyrifos in mid-October to control severe RWA infestations in two different fields of Norstar winter wheat significantly improved winter survival of the crop. The pattern of winterkill within the two fields suggested that this protective effect of chlorpyrifos was greatest in areas where microtopography resulted in the least accumulations of snow and cold stress was most intense. It was concluded that heavy RWA infestation in the fall significantly reduced freezing tolerance of winter wheat and increased the likelihood of winterkilling of the crop by severe cold.Key words: Winter survival, cold hardening, Diuraphis noxia, insecticide, chlorpyrifos, Triticum aestivum, crop damage