Capture of Aphis gossypii Glover (Homoptera: Aphididae) during explosion in a cotton field in response to height and orientation of yellow sticky cards

Abstract

Aphis gossypii Glover is a polyphagous herbivore that causes serious damage to cottons. Current understanding to trap its population is limited in the field approach. In this study, a two-year-course study was conducted to test the yellow sticky card (YSC) effects of orientation (east, up, west, and bottom) and height (30, 60, and 90 cm over the cotton crown) on numbers of trapped A. gossypii every three days in ninth days after explosion in a cotton plantation in Shihezi, Xinjiang, Northwest China in 2014 and 2015. In 2014, YSCs in the east orientation at a height of 60 cm trapped the highest number of A. gossypii five days after explosion. In 2015, highest number of A. gossypii were trapped by YSCs in the up orientation at a height of 30 cm. Our results showed that YSC in the up orientation at 30-60 cm over the cotton crown can trap the highest number of A. gossypii since the five to seven days after aphid explosion. In conclusion, the spatial placement of sticky cards can be available to trap the maximum number of pests which should be incorporated into observations in continuous years.