Beer-Tasting Bug

Barley, one of the main ingredients of beer, is vulnerable to the Russian wheat aphid, shown in the image above.  The one-sixteenth-inch-long bugs feed on the plant's sap, causing white streaks and tight curls to form on the leaves.

Aphid infestations can reduce the number of plump barley kernels used to feed cattle and sheep - as well as make soups and beers.

Scientists at the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) have formulated a type of barley that can resist attacks by Russian wheat aphids.  The selectively-bred plant - named Burton barley - does not curl up when attacked.

This means the aphids are left out in the open without any rolled-leaf shelter to protect them from their natural enemies or from wind and rain, according to ARS plant geneticist Phillip Bregitzer.

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-- LiveScience Staff

Credit: Peggy Greb