This report covers the first year of a 3-year project on soybean aphid management and outreach. Two multistate studies looking at aphid resistant cultivars (including new pyramid-gene lines) and the efficacy and value of seed treatments were conducted at 7 to 8 locations each. High heat, drought, and exceptionally low regional aphid populations limited the results on this work, much of which will be repeated in 2013. However, a key result from the study looking at the efficacy of insecticidal seed treatments for aphid management showed no yield boost from the seed treatments in the absence of aphid pressure, an important baseline for the performance of these products.

Studies looking at how soil factors may influence aphid populations, and studies on how aphids may affect late-season (R6) soybeans were conducted. However, the adverse environmental conditions mentioned above also limited the results.

Breeding efforts were productive, with over 1,245 new PIs screened for aphid resistance genes (with 80 showing moderate to strong resistance to soybean aphid). Progress was also made on genetic mapping of aphid resistance genes, and a marker-assisted selection program for aphid resistance. Experimental lines developed from these selected plants and lines selected during other years will be evaluated for agronomic traits in 2013. In the 2012 uniform tests, experimental lines with the aphid resistance genes Rag1 or Rag2 were evaluated and several performed well. This included the third highest yielding line in the 2012 SCN Uniform Test II that carried Rag2 and the highest yielding line in the 2012 SCN Prelim Uniform Test II that carried Rag1. Other breeding accomplishments included new crosses to transfer the Rag2 gene, or Rag1 and Rag2 pyramid genes, into conventional food grade cultivars. Crosses were also made to incorporate the rag3 and rag4 aphid resistance genes into elite germplasm and progenies from crosses made in the previous years were evaluated for aphid resistance.

In the objective to survey for aphid biotypes (populations capable of overcoming resistant varieties), aphid populations from seven states were collected from resistant plots, though populations were so low and the condition of the aphids so stressed that this work will need to be repeated in 2013.

In the biological control objective, a new Chinese aphid parasitoid species, Aphelinus glycines, has been permitted for release; releases will begin in 2013. A release permit for an additional new parasitoid, Aphelinus rhamni, is pending. Two additional parasitoids are in the evaluation stage, A. coreae and A. varipes. We have discovered the soybean aphid parasitoid Aphelinus certus throughout soybean growing areas in Minnesota in summer 2012. This is an important development since this species is currently being credited with suppressing soybean aphid in Ontario and Quebec. Significant progress was made sequencing an aphid-killing virus strain, and in finding more efficient ways to amplify (rear) the virus.

For the Outreach objective, we have completed production on a new 55-page field booklet showcasing NCSRP-funded results, the NCSRP Soybean Aphid Field Guide. It is currently being printed, and will be distributed to producers and ag professionals free of charge for the 2013 field season. Finally, the work funded by this grant has led this year to 17 scientific journal publications, 3 Master’s theses, 36 scientific presentations, and (partial list only) 45 Extension presentations or products.