Evaluación de la resistencia a Schizaphis graminum (Hemiptera: Aphididae) en cebada

Greenbug, Schizaphis graminum (Rondani) is one of the major pests of cereals around the world that is present in Argentina. Chemical control is the most widely used practice; however, the use of resistant varieties, one of the main components in IPM, is the most effective and environmentally sustainable strategy of control. Since plants have different types of insect resistance that allow them to defend against pests, the aim of the current study was to characterize the resistance to Schizaphis graminum  in a population of recombinant inbred lines of barley and to identify lines with improved characteristics that enable the development of commercial cultivars. Antixenosis was studied by the host free choice test. Antibiosis was assessed by means of aphid life cycle and developmental traits. Tolerance mechanism was analyzed by plant growth parameters. At least eight lines carrying antibiosis were more tolerant than their controls, with similar dry weight, leaf area and chlorophyll contents, under infestation. These lines could provide resistance genes against this aphid pest and would be useful in plant breeding programs.