Cereal Aphid
Cereal aphids are important agents for the transmission of Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV), a virus that attacks barley, wheat and oats and which is capable of causing major yield losses. A number of New Zealand aphids are able to transmit BYDV in cereals with Rhopalopsiphum padi being the most common. Crops become infected by winged, adult aphids which fly during periods of warm, dry weather. Once in the crop adults breed and the wingless nymphs crawl within the crop spreading the BYDV virus as they feed. Cereal aphids can be hard to find as in cold weather they often shelter just below soil level so choose a warm, dry day to monitor crops.
