Identification of the lupine aphid Macrosiphum albifrons (Hemiptera, Aphididae) using molecular markers

Narrow-leaved lupine is a valuable high-protein fodder crop, also promising for food use. The species composition of harmful organisms feeding on lupine has not been sufficiently studied. In 2019–2021 in the north-west of the Russian Federation (St. Petersburg, Pushkin), the species composition of insects inhabiting accessions of lupine of various origins was studied. The lupine aphid Macrosiphum albifrons, an invasive phytophagous pest of North American origin, was discovered for the first time in Russia. Using sequencing of a fragment of the mitochondrial gene for cytochrome c-oxidase subunit 1 (CO1), traditionally used for diagnosing Aphididae, the correctness of determining the species identity of the insect was verified. Specific primers have been proposed that allow amplification of a 408 bp portion of the barcode DNA to identify the pest.