MONITORING THE DYNAMICS AND ABUNDANCE OF APHID SPECIES - VECTORS OF POTATO VIRUSES

The very early emergence of the vectors of potato virus poses a very serious risk to the phytosanitary quality of potatoes and for that their monitoring is very important in anticipating their maximum flight. To monitor the flight dynamics of aphid species with vector capacity in seed potato crops, in 2020-2022 at Brasov, 3 yellow water traps placed at different distances from the potato field edge and a 12.2 m high suction trap were used to capture flying aphids. 22 vector aphid species were selected from the catches of the two types of traps; their flight was analyzed in relation to the climatic data from the years of monitoring. Some of the dominant and eudominant virotic vectors (Aphis fabae, Brachycaudus helichrysi, Rhopalosiphum padi, Myzus persicae, Hyalopterus pruni, Aphis sambuci, Phorodon humuli, Aphis craccivora) started their activity, from the first decade of May and their maximum flight was different from one species to another and from one climatic year to another. The suction trap was an efficient tool in capturing vector aphids, in order to monitor their flight.