Host-specific-subspecies

Guides

• Myzus cerasi

  black cherry aphid, cherry blackfly

  Myzus cerasi, commonly known as the black cherry aphid or cherry blackfly, is a phloem-feeding aphid native to Europe that has become cosmopolitan in distribution. The species exhibits complex host alternation between primary hosts (Prunus cerasus and Prunus avium) and secondary hosts (Galium and Veronica species). Two host-specific subspecies are recognized: M. c. cerasi on sour cherry and M. c. pruniavium on sweet cherry, distinguished by mitochondrial COI haplotypes and subtle morphological differences. The species is a significant agricultural pest of cherry orchards, forming dense colonies that cause leaf curling and damage to new growth.

  agricultural-pestaphidhost-alternationcherry-pestparthenogenesisphloem-feederintegrated-pest-managementbiopesticide-targettranscriptional-plasticityhost-specific-subspecies