Bulletin of Entomological Research

Table of Contents - December 2012 - Volume 102, Issue 06  

Research Paper

Biological and molecular characterization of Hessian fly (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) from Israel

A.J. Johnsona1a2, P.G. Weintrauba3, R. Katocha4, B.J. Schemerhorna1a2 and R.H. Shuklea1a2 c1

a1 USDA-ARS †, Crop Production and Pest Control Unit, 170 South University Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA

a2 Purdue University, Department of Entomology, 901 West State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA

a3 Agricultural Research Organization, Gilat Research Center, D.N. Negev, 85280, Israel

a4 CSKHPKV, Palampur, HP, 176062, India

Abstract

Samples of a dipteran pest of wheat were tested to confirm identity, describe local populations and suggest the use of deploying resistance (R) genes in wheat cultivars for control of Mayetiola destructor, Hessian fly (HF). Morphological evaluation of adults and a free-choice oviposition preference test documenting that females overwhelmingly preferred to oviposit on wheat instead of barley supported they were HF. Using the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (coxI), the Barcoding Region, nine haplotypes were revealed. Two were found only in the Israeli collections and averaged 3% sequence divergence compared to the other seven haplotypes found in the United States, Israel and Syria. In evaluations of virulence, the Israeli HF in culture was virulent to 11 of the 19 (R) genes tested, and complementation analysis documented that, for four of the R genes tested, the Israeli HF shared loci for virulence with HF from the United States. Levels of HF infestation at seven Israeli fields were at least at the 5–8% level, which historically has indicated a significant yield loss. Microsatellite genotyping of the five HF collections from Israel revealed mixed populations in Israel that are distinctly separate from the single population in Syria.

(Accepted March 11 2012)

(Online publication May 08 2012)

Keywords

  • Mayetiola destructor ;
  • Israel;
  • wheat;
  • host-plant resistance;
  • coxI ;
  • population genetics

Correspondence:

c1 Author for correspondence Fax: +1 765 494 5105 E-mail: shukle@purdue.edu; rich.shukle@ars.usda.gov

Footnotes

†  Mention of a commercial or proprietary product does not constitute an endorsement by the USDA.