07/01/08 Aphid monitoring network, part 2

Sanford Eigenbrode of the University of Idaho will be using a USDA grant to conduct a four year study on aphids, the viruses they carry and their impacts on Palouse lentil and pea fields. They'll be able to put out more traps to collect aphids and look for virus infection. So what have they found so far this year? EIGENBRODE "08 is a very light year. The cold spring evidently was the reason why aphid numbers in the traps were half the numbers that we were catching at the same dates last year in 2007." And '07 was a light year, thus giving researchers a good look at very low infestation and crop damage. Aphid trapping and monitoring is one part of the overall study. EIGENBRODE "Another way is to look at the weather data that we can collect to attempt to forecast the bad year based on climate. And another way is to develop thresholds and examine alternative insecticides that could work better or as well as some of the current materials used." And a fourth would be breeding pea and lentil varieties that are more resistant or tolerant to the diseases. ARS and Washington State University are also collaborating with the U of I on this project. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott