Four experiments were carried out in Cruz Alta, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, during the 2000 growing season, under field conditions, to evaluate the wheat cultivars reaction and efficiency of inseticides to reduce aphid vectors in the Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) incidence and damage. The majority of the aphids collected (75%) was Rhopalosiphum padi (Linnaeus). Other three species of aphids were collected in lower numbers (25%). Only the Fundacep 31 cultivar showed positive reaction to sorological test ELISA, confirming the presence of BYDV-PAV, BYDV-MAV and BYDV-SGV viral species. Cultivars showed different responses, being classified as resistant (Fundacep 30, Fundacep 36 and Fundacep 37) and susceptible (Fundacep 31). Seed treatment with imidacloprid and thiamethoxam in the dosage of 24.5g 100kg of seed-1, were effective to control BYDV aphid vectors, and these treatments were better than conventional 3 foliar sprays with chlorpyriphos. Dosages over 8.5g 100kg of seed-1 of imidacloprid and thiamethoxam avoided reduction in grain yields in wheat caused by the complex aphids-BYDV.
aphids; BYDV; seed treatment; plants spraying
