Abstract:
Non-persistent viruses are transmitted by aphids in short feeding probes
during the initial stages of aphid host plant selection behaviour. To control
the transmission of these viruses, farmers rely on pesticides and cultural
control practices, with varying success rates. As a result, there is a need for
novel management practices that are more robust and specific to reducing
aphid landing rates in crops. Aphid–plant–virus interactions involve a
number of behaviours and processes to ensure survival of the insect vector
and virus. So far, virus management tactics focused on reducing
immigrating aphids in crops have emphasized the manipulation of visual rather than olfactory stimuli. An improved understanding of the synergistic
or additive effects in which aphids use visual and olfactory stimuli to locate
host plants could be used to improve on current non-persistent virus
management tactics and develop novel strategies. The aim of this review is
to evaluate current understanding of aphid vector behaviour and the ways
that these behaviours have been exploited to develop management
strategies, and to identify areas of research needed to further improve virus
management.
