Effect of silicon on aphid populations and wheat yield in Minas Gerais, Brazil

The area cultivated with wheat has been increasing in the savannahs of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Aphids are usually one of the main pests of wheat in many regions of the world; however, little is known about the aphid population in this new environment. The southern region of Brazil, the main wheat production area, has had several problems as a result of aphids, but aphid populations and the resulting impact on wheat production have not been investigated in these new crop production areas. Understanding control strategies to manage this insect could be essential for the “Cerrado” wheat that is grown in this area. The application of silicon (Si) has the potential to reduce the population growth of wheat aphids; however no field studies have been reported. Hence, we evaluated the effect of Si fertilization via soil application on the aphid populations and species composition and on yield components of wheat in three locations in Minas Gerais; the experiment was repeated simultaneously in Uberlândia, at the experimental areas of UFU and IFTM, and in Montes Claros, at the experimental area of UFMG, using the cultivars BRS 264 and BRS 394. The aphids first appeared just before wheat earing; they were then sampled six times over the course of the study, seven days apart, starting from 45 days after sowing. The aphid species Sitobion avenae (Fabricius), Schizaphis graminum (Rondani), and Rhopalosiphum padi (Linnaeus) were observed in all three locations; S. avenae was the dominant species in all locations. The experimental area of UFU had the highest number of S. avenae aphids per tiller for both cultivars, while UFMG had the lowest populations. Aphid populations and wheat yield components were not affected by soil Si fertilization. There was no difference in yield as a result of location or cultivar, but the location UFU and the cultivar BRS 394 had the greatest average hectoliter weight.