Legume Virus Project

The Legume Virus Project is aimed to reduced the injury to peas and lentils caused by aphid-vectored viruses including Bean leaf roll, Pea enation mosaic and Pea streak. The project includes the Aphid Tracker developed by Entomology Division chair Sanford Eigenbrode.

This project monitors pea aphid populations each growing season across the interior Columbia River basin. The network of trapping sites allows Eigenbrode to track changes in aphid populations and analyze the trapped aphids for the viruses. The project also includes efforts to develop decision support tools to help growers decide when and how to treat the aphids and efforts to accelerate the development of new varieties with improved resistance against these viruses.

Impact

The Aphid Tracker monitoring system helps growers decide when aphid populations infected with viruses threaten economic damage to crops and require control with pesticides.

Viral diseases can cause severe damage in some years, while in other years, the cost of pesticide spraying outweighs the financial benefit. Improved decision tools will help reduce the costs and improve profitability of pea production in the region.

Funding Source

RAMP (Risk Assessment and Mitigation Program) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and the Western Regional Integrated Pest Management Program.

Principal Contributors

Sanford Eigenbrode
Entomology Division Chair and Professor
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Edward Bechinski
Extension IPM Coordinator and Professor
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Alexander Karasev
Associate Professor
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Levan Elbakidze
Assistant Professor
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Bhadra Murthy
Postdoc in Plant Pathology, Washington State University

Brad Stokes
Graduate Student in Entomology, University of Idaho

Damon Husebye
Graduate Student in Entomology, University of Idaho

Diana Roberts
Extension Educator, Spokane County Washington, Washington State University

Hanu Pappu
Virologist, Washington State University

Kevin McPhee
Plant Breeder, North Dakota State University

Lydia Clayton
Extension Educator, Nez Perce County Idaho, University of Idaho

Lyndon Porter
Plant Pathologist, ARS, Prosser WA

Richard Larsen
Plant Pathologist, ARS, Prosser WA

Shalu Jain
Postdoc in Plant Breeding, North Dakota State University

Steve Clement
Project Advisor, USDA-ARS Plant Introduction Station, Pullman, WA