Published online by Cambridge University Press: 31 May 2012
The pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisurn (Harris), is a serious pest of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and is known to reduce the cold-hardiness of seedling alfalfa (Harper and Freyman 1979). To determine whether or not pea aphids also reduce cold-hardiness in older alfalfa, plants were grown in the field for 1, 2, or 3 years, then tested for cold-hardiness under controlled conditions of infestation, hardening, and freezing.