Gash, AFJ2012-03-152012-02-092012-02-092012-02-01Gash, Alan F. J. (2012). Wheat nitrogen fertilisation effects on the performance of the cereal Aphid Metopolophium dirhodum. Agronomy, 2(1), 1-13. doi:10.3390/agronomy20100012073-4395https://hdl.handle.net/10182/4350The effects of five rates of nitrogen fertiliser applications on the performance of the cereal aphid Metopolophium dirhodum on winter wheat, within the range of rates recommended for UK crops, were investigated over two seasons in field-grown crops and also on plants grown in the glasshouse. Longevity was unaffected by the level of fertilisation, but aphid intrinsic rate of increase and fecundity increased with each level applied. In the second field season, when a higher upper limit was used, many of these increases were significant. A previously unreported finding for this species was that there was a significant decrease in fecundity for the highest rate of fertilisation. Results for the glasshouse-reared aphids followed a similar pattern to those in the field, and overall they underline recent reports in the literature of the negative effects of high nutrient concentrations on the performance of herbivorous insects. The underlying reasons for these are discussed.pp.1-13enCopyright © The Author.fecundityphloem sapwinter wheatnitrogen fertiliserinsectsintrinsic rate of increaseaphidsJournal Article10.3390/agronomy2010001ANZSRC::0701 Agriculture, Land and Farm Management2073-4395ANZSRC::3002 Agriculture, land and farm managementANZSRC::3004 Crop and pasture productionhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Attribution