APHID SURVEILLANCE IN POTATO FIELDS: IMPLICATIONS FOR VIRUS MANAGEMENT AND TUBER QUALITY

Aphids are the most common and effective carriers of plant viruses. The transmission of potato viruses is primarily linked to the activity of winged aphids. This study monitored migratory aphids in a seed potato field during 2020 and 2021, utilizing yellow water pan traps placed at varying distances from the field edge (20, 50, and 80 meters) to gather spatial and temporal data on the activity of winged aphids within the seed potato field. Throughout the monitoring period, 922 aphids from 65 species were identified in 2020, while 2,508 aphids from 84 species were recorded in 2021. In both years, the highest number of aphids was collected from the trap positioned at the edge of the potato crop at 20 meters. Regarding the total abundance of vector aphid populations and species, in 2021 higher values were recorded than in 2020: 1227 vector aphids from 20 species in 2021 compared with 528 vector aphids from 17 species. In comparison to 2020, the level of virus infection in the tested material was highest in 2021 across all varieties, with the most significant increases noted for the PVM and PVY viruses. Aphids play a significant role as viral vectors in potatoes, impacting tuber quality by transmitting several damaging viruses, most notably the potato virus Y (PVY) and potato leafroll virus (PLRV). These viruses, can lead to a range of quality issues in the tubers, such asstarch and dry matter content.