Effects of silicon acid and of acibenzolar-S-methyl on Schizaphis graminum (Rondani) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in wheat plants

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of silicon acid and acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM) on biology and behavior of the aphid (greenbug) in wheat plants. The experiment involved a 4 factorial (no silicon, silicon on leaf, silicon in the soil and silicon in the soil + on leaf), x 2 (with and without acibenzolar-S-methyl), in a completely randomized design. A preference test with chance of choice was set in blocks randomized, with 10 replications. Silicon acid was used at 1% and ASM at 0.5%. The treatments were evaluated by means of preference tests with chance of choice (adult aphids in leaf sections of wheat plants were counted), biological studies (length of pre-reproductive, reproductive and post-reproductive periods, mortality rate during the pre-productive period, number of nymphs, longevity and population growth rate were determined) and colonization of aphids (number of adult aphids and nymphs were determined). In the preference test, plants that received ASM were not chosen by the aphids. The application of the silicon or ASM reduced significantly the number of nymphs, the population growth rate, the post-reproductive period and the longevity of the greenbug. A significant reduction of the number of aphids was observed during aphids colonization when ASM or silicon were applied. The addition of silicon acid, mostly in the soil, or of ASM is promising as a control method in the integrated management of aphid in wheat.