Ability to Transmit Sugarcane Mosaic Virus and Seasonal Phenology of Some Aphid Species (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in the Isis and Bundaberg Districts of Queensland

Rhopalosiphum maidis (Fitch), Aphis gossypii Glover and Myzus persicae (Sultzer) transmitted the Australian sugarcane strain of sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV‐SC) in a non‐persistent manner, whereas Melanaphis sacchari (Zehntner), Hysteroneura setariae (Thomas), Hyperomyzus lactucae (L.) and Aphis nerii Boyer de Fonscolombe did not transmit the virus. Calculated transmission rate per aphid was higher (12–16%) when sweetcorn was the source of SCMV‐SC than when sugarcane was the source (2–5%). M. sacchari (a non‐vector) and A. gossypii (a vector) were the most prevalent aphids caught on sticky yellow traps in the Isis and Bundaberg districts in 1989–91. Three vector species, A craccivora Koch, A. gossypii and R. maidis, were trapped mainly in spring, summer and autumn, and a fourth vector species, R. padi (L.) was trapped only in winter. Since vector species were active during all seasons, there is always potential for transmission of SCMV‐SC if host, virus and environmental factors are favourable. Copyrigh