Lack of relationship between aphid virus vector activity and potato leaf roll virus incidence

Abstract

The relationship between activity of aphid virus vectors and incidence of potato leaf roll virus (PLRV) in seed potato crops was investigated using historical data Numbers of PRLV aphid vectors (mainly green peach aphids) caught in a 75 m suction trap at Lincoln Canterbury and the incidence of primary and secondary PLRV for Ilam Hardy seed crops from the PT seed potato certification scheme in Canterbury were collated from 1982 to 2000 The degree of simple linear relatedness between aphid flight activity and virus incidence was examined Climate variables which may have contributed to aphid survival reproduction and movement in potato crops were also investigated Very low correlation coefficients between all variables tested were obtained Explanations for the lack of any relationship between potato aphid virus vector flights and virus incidence in potatoes are discussed