All entries for Friday 20 May 2016

FIELD BRASSICAS and LEAFY VEGETABLES

Low numbers of peach–potato aphid are flying in central and southern England. Cabbage aphid has overwintered on some oilseed rape crops and is now flying in low numbers. The first currant-lettuce aphids (Nasonovia ribisnigri) have been caught in the Hereford and Wye suction-traps this week.

CARROTS

The willow–carrot aphid is flying throughout England, with numbers highest in eastern England and the south west. Yellow water trap catches are also picking up the peach–potato aphids in some Yorkshire carrot fields.

PEAS and BEANS

Field reports of aphids in peas and beans in relatively high numbers have been received with many peas and spring beans still at early crop growth stages. Both pea aphid and black bean aphid are present, and while both are virus vectors, the pea aphid is the primary vector for most viruses in both peas and beans. Viruses are often transmitted into crops by low numbers of aphids prior to flowering. The risk for this may be high in 2016. The pea aphid was caught at eight ST sites this week, increasing at six sites with hotspots at Hereford (21) and Rothamsted (21).