SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION AND SAMPLING PLANS WITH FIXED LEVELS OF PRECISION FOR CEREAL APHIDS (HOMOPTERA: APHIDIDAE) INFESTING SPRING WHEAT

Abstract

AbstractThree cereal aphids, Rhopalosiphum padi (L.), Schizaphis graminum (Rondani), and Sitobion avenae (F.), invade wheat fields in the northern Great Plains each spring, and populations occasionally reach economic levels. The first objective of this study was to describe the spatial distribution of three species of cereal aphids infesting hard red spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The second objective was to develop two sampling plans for cereal aphids using individual stems as the sampling unit, a sampling plan with fixed levels of precision and a sequential sampling decision plan based on total numbers of aphids present. Aphid population estimates were collected from 47 eastern North Dakota spring wheat fields during 1993–1995. The number of aphids per stem were counted on 100–350 stems per field. Taylor’s power law and Iwao’s patchiness regression were used to analyze the spatial distribution of the aphids. Rhopalosiphum padi and S. avenae exhibited an aggregated distribution, whereas S. graminum was distributed randomly in the field. Taylor’s power law provided a better fit to the data than Iwao’s patchiness regression. Sample size requirements for precision levels of 0.10, 0.15, and 0.25 were estimated with Taylor’s regression coefficients. Required sample sizes increased with decreased aphid populations and increased levels of precision. The two sampling plans presented should be useful for research on cereal aphid population dynamics and pest management decision making in spring wheat.