1. CULTURAL APPROACH FOR THE MANAGEMENT
OF RUSSIAN WHEAT APHID (diuraphis noxia
kurdjumov) INFESTATION ON SELECTED BREAD
WHEAT VARIETIES
• M.N. Njuguna., M. Macharia, H.G.Mwangi, J.K, Kamundia, I Koros,
and G. Ngotho.
2. Introduction
• Wheat is an important staple food crop ranking second after maize in
Kenya.- source of both food and feed (FAOSTAT, 2009).
• Domestic requirements - 1,750,000 MT against production - 442,000 MT
(USAID, 2014).
• Cereal aphids are among the most serious biotic constraint to wheat
production.
• RWA - most destructive causes 25-95% yield loss (Macharia et al., 2002).
• All commercial wheat varieties grown by farmers in Kenya are susceptible
to RWA (Macharia et al., 2002).
• Current control strategies use aphicides (Macharia et al. 2012),
• Hence there is need for development of an integrated approach in
management to reduce cost of production and safe the environment.
3. Methodology
• Studies were conducted to evaluate appropriate seeding and nitrogen
rates in the management of RWA at Njoro (2,164 m asl) in 2011, 2012
and 2013 crop seasons.
• The trial design- (RCBD) in a split plot arrangement replicated 3 times
Treatments:
Wheat varieties- K. Tai, K. Kingbird, K Wren, K. Korongo, K. Hawk,
K. Sunbird, Robin, K. Eagle, and NBWII
Seed rates: (SR) 75, 100 and 125 kg/ha were assigned to the subplots.
Nitrogen rates - 75, 100 and 130 kg N/ha soil applied at
tillering.
DAP (NPK 18:46:0) at 100 kg/ha to provide starter nutrients.
4. Methodology…
• Wheat was sown to coincide with RWA pick infestation period using plot
seeder.
• Crop management- recommendations (KARI, 2005)
No insecticide application done
• Five plants/plot were randomly selected, RWA identified and counted.
RWA symptoms identified:- were rolled flag leaf,
leaf/sheath purple coloration
and fish hook ears (Macharia et al. 2012).
5. Methodology…
• RWA counts were transformed (√x+1) (Gomez and Gomez 1984)
• Plots cut with a sickle and threshed by experimental plot thresher.
• Data collected: tillers, spikes, biomass, TKW, harvest index (HI) and
grain yield.
(Rashid, et al., 2007)
• Grain moisture adjusted to 12%, grain weight recorded;
1000 grains were counted and weighed.
6. Methodology…
•The data analysis (SAS, 1994).
•ANOVA-conducted among the treatment means.
•Means separated using Least Significant Difference (LSD).
•Yield benefits were calculated among different rates of N application
and seeding rates as follows
•GY Benefit =GY (N applied)-GY (no N applied)
•GY Benefit =GY (high SR) - GY (lowest SR)
7. Results and Discussions…
• Aphid counts were Significant (P<0.05) among varieties (Table 1).
K. Korongo - lowest RWA counts
- NBWII -highest RWA counts
RWA showed preference for NBWII, agrees with De Zutter et al.
(2012)
• Tillers/m2
and spikes/m2
, were significant (P<0.05) among the varieties.
Njoro BWII - highest tillers and spikes/m2
,
K. Wren and K. Kingbird -lowest tillers/m2
and
spikes/m2
.
• More tillers/spikes in NBWII did not lead to increased yield - probably
due to high RWA infestation
8. Results and Discussions…
• Yield components were significant (P<0.05) among varieties.
Robin- highest BM accumulation
K Kingbird - lowest BM
K.Korongo - highest TKW and K Kingbird the lowest
• Grain yields were significant (P<0.05) among varieties was
Robin - gave the highest yield followed by K Korongo
Kingbird, K Eagle and NBWII – lowest yield
• The high vegetative growth and susceptibility to RWA observed in
NBWII may have caused the low grain yield.
10. Results and Discussions…
Effects of N application
•RWA: N rates were significant (P<0.05) on RWA densities (Table 2).
N at 100 kg/ha -highest RWA counts in the three seasons
N at 75 kg and 130 kg N/ha were not significantly (P>0.05) different
on RWA counts .
•This observation agrees with Sara et al. (2010) on improved crop
performance on higher N levels despite higher aphid infestation.
Yield and yield components:
•Nitrogen at 100 kg/ha increased tillers/m2
in 2011, 2012 and 2013 and
spikes/m2
in 2012 Haussain et al. (2008) findings.
11. Results and Discussions…
• N at 100kg N/ha - highest TKW and grain yields in the
three seasons.
• Although plots that received 100 kg N/ha had high
infestation, apparently N enhanced plants’ tolerance to
RWA hence high grain yield Silvina et al. (2005).
• Our observation agrees with Riedell, (2008) suggesting
that N fertilization may be a useful strategy for limiting
yield reduction caused by RWA in N deficient wheat crop
12. 2011
N rates 75 100 130 Mean Lsd (0.05) CV (%)
Aphids 3.3ba 3.7a 3.1b 3.4 0.6 1.97
Tillers/m2
106.5b 116.7a 107.6b 110.3 9.1 1.97
Biomass t/ha 4.9 5.2 5.0 5.0 NS 1.97
TKW 35.4b 36.5a 35.9b 35.9 0.6 1.97
Yield t/ha 2.0b 2.4a 2.2b 2.2 0.04 1.97
2012
Aphids 3.6b 4.1a 3.4b 3.7 0.7 1.97
Tillers/m2
117.5b 128.4a 118.4b 121.4 10.0 1.97
Spikes/m2
90.7b 99.7a 93.6b 94.4 6.1 1.97
TKW 38.9b 40.2a 37.0c 38.7 1.3 1.97
Yield t/ha 2.1b 2.5a 2.3b 2.4 0.03 1.97
2013
Aphids 5.6 5.7a 5.4 5.6 0.3 5.6
Tillers/m2
114.5b 151.1a 116.8b 127.4 27.3 4.1
Spikes/m2
106.5b 103.8b 125.8a 112.1 13.3 2.3
Biomass t/ha 5.5b 4.9c 6.6a 5.7 0.5 1.9
TKW 30.8 31.2 30.4 30.8 0.9 NS
HI 45.4a 42.6a 38.7b 42.2 4.9 2.2
Yield t/ha 2.1b 2.5a 2.4ba 2.3 0.25 20.8
Table 2: Effect of nitrogen on cereal aphid counts, yield and yield components
Means followed by the same letter in the same column are not significantly different at ( =0.05)Ɑ
Results and Discussions…
13. Results and Discussions
Effects of Seed rates
•RWA: Seeding rates significantly (P<0.05) influenced RWA counts
(Table 3).
SR-75 kg/ha - highest aphid counts
SR - at 100 kg/ha -lowest aphid counts
•Low plant densities are more susceptible to aphid attacks
(Infonet biovision 2013)
Yield and yield components
SR had significant (P<0.05) effect on spikes/m2
, BM, HI and grain yield but not
tillers/m2
in 2011.
SR at 125 kg/ha - spikes/m2
in 2011 and 2012
and BM followed by SR at 100 kg/ha.
14. 2011
Seed Rates kg/ha
Yield Components
75 100 125 Mean Lsd (0.05) CV (%)
Aphids 3.7a 2.9b 3.4ba 3.3 0.05 2.03
Spikes/m2
79.0b 86.9ba 91.7a 85.9 91.1 1.97
Biomass t/ha 4.9c 5.0b 5.2a 5.0 0.04 1.97
HI 44.0b 45.0a 43c 44 1.0 1.97
Yield t/ha 2.1ba 2.3a 2.3a 2.2 0.14 1.97
2012
Aphids 4.0a 3.2c 3.7b 3.6 0.05 2.03
Spikes/m2
86.9b 95.6ba 100.9a 94.5 9.12 1.97
Biomass t/ha 5.4c 5.5b 6.1a 5.6 0.03 1.97
HI 48.0b 50.1a 47.2b 48.4 2.0 1.97
Yield t/ha 2.4 2.5 2.5 2.4 NS 1.97
2013
Aphids 5.7a 5.0b 5.6a 5.5 0.36 21
Tillers/m2
116.3 138.9 127.1 127.4 0.5 4.0
Spikes/m2
105.3c 114.0b 116.9a 112.1 0.36 2.3
Biomass t/ha 5.5b 5.8a 5.7a 5.7 0.11 1.9
TKW 30.7b 30.9a 30.6b 30.8 0.14 0.6
HI 40.9c 43.6a 42.2b 42.2 0.32 2.2
Yield t/ha 2.2 2.5 2.4 2.3 0.25 2.1
Table 3: Effect of seeding rates on cereal aphid counts, yield and yield components
Means followed by the same letter in the same column are not significantly different at ( =0.05)Ɑ
Results and Discussions
16. Conclusion
RWA infestation varied with variety
K. Korongo –least most attacked & NBWII most affected.
Robin - highest grain yield.
NBWII - lowest grain yield.
N appeared to improve plants tolerance to aphid infestation
Highest aphid infestation – recorded at 100 N kg/ha
Aphid counts varied with seeding rates, highest counts - recorded in lowest
seeding rate (75 kg/ha).
> 100 kg N/ha and 100 kg seed/ha - not beneficial to the grower
increase grain yield.
Optimum N and SR may be a useful strategy for limiting both yield reduction
and increased cost of production (pesticides use) caused by RWA in wheat
crop.
17. Recommendations and Acknowledgement
• Recommendation
• Moderate seeding rate (100 kg/ha ) and (100 kg N/ha) could be used as
an integrated strategy in the management of RWA in wheat production
by farmers.
• Acknowledgement
• Authors acknowledge with appreciation the Eastern Africa Agricultural
Productivity Program (EAAPP) and KALRO Director General through
the Centre Director , KALRO- Njoro for facilitating this study.