Sipha flava

(Forbes, 1884)

yellow sugarcane aphid

Sipha flava, commonly known as the , is a significant agricultural pest to North America that has spread to multiple continents. This aphid feeds on warm- and cool-season grasses including sugarcane, sorghum, corn, rice, and numerous pasture grasses. It is distinguished by its bright lemon-yellow to pale green coloration, body covered with small , and two double rows of dark spots on the . The is notable for injecting a toxin while feeding that causes leaves to turn purple in seedlings and yellow to reddish in older plants, leading to stunted growth, delayed maturity, and potential . Unlike many aphids, it produces little to no . can increase rapidly through parthenogenetic , with females giving birth to live young for approximately 28 days.

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Cane sugar; a textbook on the agriculture of the sugar cane, the manufacture of cane sugar, and the analysis of sugar-house products (1921) (14783892795) by Deerr, Noël, 1874-. Used under a No restrictions license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Sipha flava: /ˈsiːfə ˈfleɪvə/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

are typically lemon , occasionally pale green, and measure approximately 1.5-2.0 mm in length. The body is covered with numerous small and distinctive long hairs. Two parallel double rows of dark spots run longitudinally along the surface. Both winged () and wingless () forms occur. The are short relative to body size. distinguishing features from similar include: bright yellow coloration with dark spot rows (vs. pale yellow-gray with black cornicles and legs in Melanaphis sacchari); absence of production (vs. abundant honeydew in aphid); and purple seedling damage (vs. yellow- damage patterns of ).

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Habitat

Found in agricultural fields, pastures, and areas with grasses. Thrives in warm conditions and is particularly abundant during hot, dry weather. In plantations, are influenced by soil salinity, irrigation practices, and water management. The colonizes the underside of leaves in both seedling and mature stages.

Distribution

to North America with established across the United States (California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Nebraska, New York, Oklahoma, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia) and Mexico. and established in Central America and Caribbean (Bahamas, Barbados, Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Honduras), South America (Brazil), Europe (Portugal including Azores and Madeira, Spain), and Africa (Morocco, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zimbabwe). Records also from Albania.

Seasonality

Activity peaks during warm growing seasons. In temperate regions, build during spring and summer. In tropical and subtropical areas such as Tanzania, major have been recorded with high peaks causing significant . Continuous occurs year-round in suitable climates.

Diet

Phloem-feeding on warm- and cool-season grasses (Poaceae). Documented include (Saccharum officinarum), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), corn (Zea mays), rice (Oryza sativa), johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense), dallisgrass, crabgrasses (Digitaria spp.), barleys, panic grasses, paspalums, pennisetums, wheats, and various lawn and pasture grasses. Also recorded on sedges (Cyperaceae).

Host Associations

Saccharum officinarum - primary major agricultural pest of
Sorghum bicolor - primary significant pest of grain and forage sorghum
Sorghum halepense - wild johnsongrass; important
Zea mays - corn
Oryza sativa - rice
Digitaria spp. - crabgrasses; variable documented among and
Miscanthus spp. - ornamental and grasses

Life Cycle

is parthenogenetic; all individuals are female and give birth to live young (). Females reproduce for approximately 28 days, producing an average of two nymphs per day. Nymphs mature in 13-19 days under favorable conditions. live 25-30 days. Development rate and longevity are temperature-dependent; studies have examined effects of both fluctuating and constant temperatures on parameters. Multiple overlapping occur annually in suitable climates.

Behavior

Feeds on the underside of leaves, preferentially colonizing lower leaves before moving upward. Injects a toxin during feeding that induces localized or responses including anthocyanin accumulation (reddish-purple discoloration). Feeding and growth are enhanced on previously infested leaves, suggesting the induces plant susceptibility that benefits subsequent feeding. Winged forms develop for to new plants. Does not produce , differing markedly from other aphid pests of grasses.

Ecological Role

Agricultural pest causing direct damage through feeding and toxin injection. Induces physiological changes in plants including chloroplast swelling, starch accumulation, and reduction in epicuticular . Serves as for including the Diomus terminatus and other ; is reportedly rare. are influenced by temperature and rainfall, with negative correlations between ratings and both rainy days and average temperature.

Human Relevance

Major economic pest of , sorghum, corn, and rice with documented yield losses. Damage include purple discoloration of seedling leaves and -to-reddish coloration of older leaves; severe cause stunting, delayed maturity, , and death. have been established for grain sorghum at different growth stages and control costs. Management relies on chemical control (chlorpyrifos, dimethoate, flupyradifurone, with clothianidin, imidacloprid, thiamethoxam), though using Tithonia diversifolia and of are alternatives. In Tanzania, approaches using decision support tools are being developed to reduce use.

Similar Taxa

Melanaphis sacchariAlso called ; differs in pale -gray-tan color, black /feet/, abundant production, and more recent pest status in North America
Schizaphis graminum; differs in light green color with dark green stripe, produces , causes reddish spots rather than purple seedling damage
Rhopalosiphum maidis; differs in dark bluish-green color, feeds primarily in , does not inject toxin
Sipha maydisCongeneric ; requires microscopic examination for definitive separation