Landscape effects on aphid diversity and Potato virus Y prevalence

Potato virus Y (PVY) poses a significant threat to potato production worldwide. The virus is
vectored solely by aphids and is capable of infecting plants in many different families.
Landscape composition has been shown to influence aphid vector communities and PVY
spread; however, there is no information on the impact of crop species diversity on vector
assemblages and PVY prevalence. The goal of this study is to determine associations of aphid
species and PVY prevalence, and to then assess how crop diversity affects these relationships.
We sampled aphid populations using three pan traps placed around 10 potato fields and four
suction traps spread throughout the San Luis Valley in Colorado, the second largest potato
producing region in the US. Aphid sampling was performed weekly, and virus prevalence was
measured in 20 potato plants per field biweekly using ELISA throughout the 2020 and 2021
cropping seasons. Pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) relative abundance was significantly
positively correlated with PVY incidence in 2020, and landscape analyses are being conducted
to observe correlations with percent cover of certain crop species. Data collection for the 2021
season is still being conducted. Findings of our study can aid in development of disease
mitigation strategies by the avoidance or encouragement of planting certain crop species to
reduce PVY prevalence.