The frontal tubercles are very prominent and are convergent. While they do have prominent frontal tubercles, they are divergent, not convergent, as in the green peach aphid. Green peach aphid can also damage the plant by sucking plant sap. When damaging levels occur, large numbers of aphids can be found on the underside of leaves. Extensive feeding causes plants to turn yellow and the leaves to curl downward and inward from the edges.
Aphid damage is most prominent on newer, younger leaves in the center of the plant.
The principal way of reducing virus transmission by the green peach aphid is adherence to the beet-free restrictions and planting dates established by grower and processor agreement. Planting date restrictions and beet-free periods vary considerably from location to location and growers should contact their farm advisor, processor, or the California Beet Growers Association for the latest restrictions in their area. Strict adherence to these restrictions is absolutely necessary in order to reduce the amount of virus. A second, and equally important factor in reducing virus spread, is good field sanitation. Infected keeper beets that produce new vegetative growth after harvest act as sources of virus inoculum for new plantings.