The parasitoid complex ofLiriomyza huidobrensis in cucumber greenhouses in Izmir province, Western Turkey

Liriomyza huidobrensis (Blanchard) (Diptera: Agromyzidae) is an important pest in cucumber greenhouses in Çamönü (Menderes, Izmir), Turkey. In a study carried out in cucumber greenhouses during the spring and autumn seasons of 1999 and 2000, leaves were sampled weekly and kept in the laboratory to observe and count emerging leafminers and parasitoid adults. Five parasitoid species were collected: the braconidsBracon intercessor Nees von Esenbeck andOpius meracus Fischer, which occurred only in the spring; and the eulophidsDiglyphus crassinervis Erdös,Diglyphus isaea (Walker) andNeochrysocharis formosa (Westwood), which occurred in both the spring and autumn seasons.D. isaea andN. formosa were the predominant parasitoid species found.O. meracus was recorded for the first time as a Turkish species andB. intercessor was recorded for the first time inL. huidobrensis.     

Note: Does<Emphasis Type="Italic">Liriomyza cicerina</Emphasis> affect the yield of chickpeas (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cicer arietinum</Emphasis>)?

Liriomyza cicerina (Rondani, 1875) (Diptera: Agromyzidae) is an important pest on chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) in some regions of Turkey. The objective of this study was to determine whether the populations ofL. cicerina on different varieties of chickpea plants during the 2004 and 2005 production seasons affected yield in Sanliurfa province. The trials were carried out using eight different varieties of chickpea with three replicates. During each season, larval densities on leaves were assessed weekly. TheL. cicerina larval population was lowest on four varieties for both seasons. There were very minor differences in yield among the eight varieties in the production seasons. There was no correlation found between larval density and yield loss. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Jan. 14, 2007.     

Egg and larval parasitoids of the beet armyworm<Emphasis Type="Italic">Spodoptera exigua</Emphasis> on maize in Turkey

The present study was conducted to determine egg and larval parasitoids of the beet armywormSpodoptera exigua Hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), which is an important but sporadic pest in Turkey. High beet armyworm population levels were recently observed in fields of first and second crop maize in the southeast Mediterranean region of Turkey. The parasitoid species complex and its impact on the pest were analyzed in a 4-year study in first and second crop maize. The braconid larval parasitoidsMicroplitis rufiventris Kokujev,M. tuberculifer Wesmael,Meteorus ictericus Nees,Chelonus obscuratus (Herrich Schäffer) (an egg-larval parasitoid),Apanteles ruficrus (Haliday); the ichneumonid larval parasitoidsHyposoter didymator (Thunberg) andSinophorus xanthostomus Gravenhorst; and the egg parasitoidTrichogramma evanescens (Westwood) were found to be the natural enemies attacking the pest. Among the parasitoid species the solitary endoparasitoidH. didymator was the most prevalent species, being reared from 40.5% of the parasitized larvae found. Higher parasitism rates were recorded on first crop than on second crop maize in every year. Possible reasons for this difference in larval parasitism between two growing seasons include lower population of the pest and reduced insecticide applications in first crop maize fields which permitted higher parasitism. However, parasitoid activity was insufficient to counterbalance the population growth of the pest on subsequent second crop maize.     

Note: Tachinid parasitoids (Diptera: Tachinidae) of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Mythimna (Acantholeucania) loreyi</Emphasis> in the southeast Anatolian region of Turkey

The loreyi leaf worm,Mythimna (Acantholeucania) loreyi (Duponchel) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is a serious pest of gramineous crops and reduces yields in maize plantations. This study was undertaken to determine the tachinid parasitoid complex ofM. loreyi in the southeast Anatolian region of Turkey. Four tachinid species were found:Pseudogonia rufifrons (Wiedemann),Exorista larvarum (Linnaeus),Drino imberbis (Wiedemann) andLinnaemya neavei Curran were reared from field-collectedM. loreyi larvae. Of the four tachinid speciesM. loreyi is a new host record forE. larvarum andD. imberbis. L. neavei was recorded for the first time in Turkey and was the most frequently encountered parasitoid in this study. Total parasitism level was 7.1% in 2003 and 15.5% in 2004. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Jan. 16, 2007.     

Parasitoid community of the loreyi leaf wormMythimna (Acantholeucania) loreyi: Novel host-parasitoid associations and their efficiency in the eastern mediterranean region of Turkey

The loreyi leaf worm,Mythimna (Acantholeucania) loreyi Duponchel (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), is a pest of gramineous crops and causes significant economic damage to maize. In field surveys on maize to determine the parasitoid community and its impact on the pest in the eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey, nine parasitoid species were found associated with immature stages ofM. loreyi: The hymenopteran (Braconidae and Ichneumonidae) parasitoidsCotesia (=Apanteles) ruficrus (Haliday),Chelonus oculator Panzer,Meteorus ictericus Nees,Hyposoter didymator (Thunberg),Sinophorus sp.; and the dipteran (Tachinidae) parasitoidsPseudogonia rufifrons Wiedeman,Exorista rossica Mesnil,Gonia picea (Robineau-Desvoidy) andLinnaemya vulpina (Fallen) — the last three recorded for the first time as parasitoids ofM. loreyi in Turkey.C. ruficrus was the dominant parasitoid species, being recovered from 38.5% of the larvae collected and was also the most prevalent species, existing in 91.0% of the fields in whichM. loreyi was found. Total parasitism levels achieved by braconid species was 41.4%, by ichneumonid parasitoids 4.8%, and by tachinid parasitoids 1.9%. In a separate field experiment, seasonal population fluctuations and natural efficiency ofC. ruficrus onM. loreyi were found to be 35.1% and 42.4%, respectively. Population levels ofC. ruficrus were closely related to fluctuations in the population ofM. loreyi, with parasitism ranging between 0 and 77.3% during the study. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Aug. 28, 2005.     

芙新姬小蜂的生物学习性观察

在实验室条件下，以美洲斑潜蝇幼虫为寄主，对芙新姬小蜂生物学习性进行了初步观察。结果表明，该蜂成虫喜欢群集活动，飞翔能力较弱；具有很强的趋光性和向上行为；成虫喜欢清洁身体；多在上午羽化，羽化当天或次日产卵。雌蜂大多数选择2龄末或3龄初的寄主幼虫体躯后1／3处产卵，1头寄主幼虫体内落卵1、2、3粒分别为92．25％、5．63％和2．11％。老熟幼虫在寄主体内后半部（占30．17％）或脱离寄主0～15mm的潜蝇虫道内（占69.83％）化蛹。幼虫是否在寄主体内化蛹，与其体内营养物质的量有关。     

Natural parasitism of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Chrysoperla carnea</Emphasis> by hymenopterous parasitoids in cotton-growing areas of Çukurova,Turkey

A 4-year study of parasitoids attackingChrysoperla carnea (Stephens) in the cotton fields of Çukurova, Turkey, revealed the activities of three principal taxa:Telenomus sp. nr.suvae attacks the eggs ofC. carnea: Catolaccus sp. andBaryscapus sp. are larval and pupal parasitoids, respectively. In general, percent egg parasitism increased starting from the second half of June and into July, then decreased until the beginning of August before rising again at the end of growing season. During the early season, weekly parasitism was found to be as high as 94%. Overall, seasonal egg parasitism varied between 13.6% and 62.0% among all study sites. According to the results of a one-year field study at Hac?ali, total larval and pupal parasitism was found to be 12.5% and 55.6%, respectively. Therefore, different factors influencing the effectiveness of the generalist predatorC. carnea against cotton pests, and the differential effects of cotton treatments on both host and parasitoids, need to be evaluated.     

Broad bean mottle virus in Morocco; curculionid vectors,and natural occurrence in food legumes other than faba bean (Vicia faba)

Broad bean mottle virus (BBMV) was transmitted from infected to healthy faba-bean plants by the curculionid weevilsApion radiolus Kirby,Hypera variabilis Herbst,Pachytychius strumarius Gyll,Smicronyx cyaneus Gyll, andSitona lineatus L. The latter appeared to be an efficient vector: acquisition and inoculation occurred at the first bite, the rate of transmission was c. 41%, and virus retention lasted for at least seven days.S. lineatus transmitted the virus from faba bean to lentil and pea, but not to the three genotypes of chickpea tested. This is the first report on the generaHypera, Pachytychius, andSmicronyx as virus vectors, and onA. radiolus, H. variabilis, P. strumarius, andS. cyaneus as vectors of BBMV.Out of 351 samples of food legumes with symptoms suggestive of virus infection, 16, 11, 19, and 17% of the samples of chickpea, lentil, pea, and common bean, respectively, were found infected when tested for BBMV in DAS-ELISA. This is the first report on the natural occurrence of BBMV in chickpea, lentil, pea, and common bean. The virus should be regarded as a food-legume virus rather than a faba-bean virus solely, and is considered an actual threat to food legume improvement programmes.     

Parasitism and development of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Trissolcus simoni</Emphasis> in eggs of different host species

A scelionid egg parasitoid,Trissolcus simoni (Mayr), was investigated by exposing different host eggs to parasitism by females in order to assess the role of this alternative host species in the biological control of the sunn pestEurygaster integriceps Puton. Egg masses of laboratory colonies of four field-collected host species were used in the experiments. Parasitism rates ofE. integriceps, Dolycoris baccarum (L.),Graphosoma lineatum L. andCarpocoris pudicus (Pd.) averaged 86.8%, 81.6%, 82.8% and 84.0%, respectively. The parasitoid sex ratio and the percent of adult emergence did not differ significantly among the four hosts. The average development period was shorter inD. baccarum andC. pudicus, with respective mean times of 10.3 and 10.8 days for females, and 9.2 and 9.6 days for males, than inE. integriceps andG. lineatum. According to these results, all the tested eggs were adequate hosts forT. simoni development. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Dec. 19, 2003.     

Sources of resistance to ascochyta blight in wild Cicer species

Ascochyta blight [Ascochyta rabiei (Pass.) Lab.] is the major foliar disease of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). In search of better sources of resistance to ascochyta blight, 201 accessions of 8 annual wildCicer species were evaluated in field and greenhouse for 3 years (1988 to 1991) at Tel Hadya, Syria. One accession each ofC. judaicum Boiss (ILWC 165) andC. pinnatifidum Jaub. & Spach. (ILWC 159) were consistently rated resistant in both field and greenhouse evaluations. Another three accessions ofC. judaicum (ILWC 61, ILWC 154, ILWC 199) and six accessions ofC. pinnatifidum (ILWC 78, ILWC 88, ILWC 155, ILWC 160, ILWC 162, ILWC 203) were resistant or moderately resistant. The blight-resistant accessions ofC. judaicum originated from Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey; and those ofC. pinnatifidum from Syria and Turkey. None of the accessions ofC. bijugum, C. chorassanicum, C. cuneatum, C. echinospermum, C. reticulatum andC. yamashitae were resistant to blight.     

Phyllocnistis citrella and its parasitoids in three citrus species in Greece

The relative abundance as well as the percentage of parasitism of Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) and its parasitoids were studied in a citrus orchard with orange, mandarin and lemon trees in Greece. Infestation of P. citrella on each citrus host, as expressed by the number of mines per leaf, was significantly higher on lemon than on mandarin. The P. citrella parasitoid complex included the native species Neochrysocharis formosa and Pnigalio pectinicornis, as well as the introduced Citrostichus phyllocnistoides. The most abundant of those was N. formosa in all of the citrus species. The average percentage of parasitism was 13.1%, 13.8% and 11.7% on orange, mandarin and lemon, respectively. No significant differences in parasitism rate by each of the three parasitoid species separately were recorded among the three citrus species.     

拟澳洲赤眼蜂对小菜蛾腹部鳞片和卵表十三种饱和烷烃的接触反应

为了解小菜蛾利他素对拟澳洲赤眼蜂搜索行为及寄生率的影响,在室内条件下测定了拟澳洲赤眼蜂对小菜蛾卵表和腹部鳞片13种饱和烷烃单一成分的接触反应。结果表明,在正十六烷处理卵卡上,拟澳洲赤眼蜂的活动指数(PAI)最大,为79.67;其次为正三十六烷,PAI为67.50;正二十二烷PAI最低,仅为3.00。拟澳洲赤眼蜂对正三十六烷处理卵卡的寄生总数最高,为183.17;其次为正十六烷,寄生总数为153.00;正二十二烷处理卵卡的寄生总数最低,仅为0.67。拟澳洲赤眼蜂最大寄生率在20%以上的有正十六烷、正十七烷、正二十五烷、正二十七烷、正二十八烷和正三十六烷处理;最大寄生率在5%以下的为正二十二烷处理。     

Distribution and relative importance of lepidopteran cereal stemborers and their parasitoids in Uganda

Infestation levels and parasitism of lepidopteran stemborers on maize were assessed in four agroecological zones (AEZ) in Uganda. The indigenous noctuidBusseola fusca Fuller (Noctuidae) and the invasiveChilo partellus Swinhoe (Crambidae) were the most important stemborers recorded.C. partellus represented 77% of the stemborers in the Eastern AEZ whileB. fusca was dominant in the other AEZs, accounting for 60–79%. The proportion of infested plants was between 16% and 45% and borer density between 0.2 and 1.0 borers per plant. There was no clear relationship between damage and stem tunneling, which is often used to estimate yield loss.Telenomus busseolae Gahan (Scelionidae), the only egg parasitoid recovered, caused parasitism of up to 46% onB. fusca eggs. Several larval and pupal parasitoid species were recorded. The most common were the indigenous braconidCotesia sesamiae and the introducedCotesia flavipes, which are larval parasitoids ofB. fusca andC. partellus, respectively. Mean parasitism by the indigenousC. sesamiae ranged between 2.0% and 29.4% onB. fusca and from 0 to 13% onC. partellus. C. flavipes was recovered at most locations with parasitism of 0–30.5% onC. partellus and 0–12% onB. fusca; the latter was probably the result of multiparasitism as laboratory studies have shown that it was not a suitable host forC. partellus. Results indicated further that the parasitoid has not attained equilibrium 5 years after its introduction. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Nov. 20, 2006. Teddy Matama-Kauma died suddenly in an accident on Dec. 10, 2006, while this paper was in press.     

Bark-Beetle Parasitoids Population Surveys Following Storm Damage in Spruce Stands in the Vosges Region (France)

This paper presents the results of a long-term study designed to follow the population dynamics of hymenopteran parasitoids associated with Ips typographus L. (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) in northeastern France (Alsace and Vosges) in spruce stands devastated by the December 1999 storms. Population densities were estimated by periodic samplings in the pre-emerging insect populations developing under the bark of attacked trees. Data were collected between July 2000 and October 2001. I. typographus population density (per m²) increased respectively by 28%, 105%, and 212% in one year in the three sites surveyed. Six hymenopteran ectoparasitoids were found: Coeloides bostrichorum Giraud and Dendrosoter middendorffi Ratzeburg (Hymenoptera: Braconidae); Rhopalicus tutela (Walker), Roptrocerus xylophagorum (Ratzeburg), Roptrocerus mirus (Walker) and Dinotiscus eupterus (Walker) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae). After two years, the parasitoid populations increased in terms of average density but parasitism rates remained at a relatively low level, ranging from 0% to 40%, with 60% of the trees having a parasitism rate below 5%. Data outlined the recurrent coexistence of competing parasitoid species.     

Natural enemies of the pear psylla<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cacopsylla pyri</Emphasis> in treated<Emphasis Type="Italic">vs</Emphasis> untreated pear orchards in Antalya,Turkey

Populations of pear psylla,Cacopsylla pyri (L.) (Rhynchota: Psyllidae), and its natural enemies were sampled on pears in Antalya province during the years 2000–2002. Thirty-two species of predators and three species of parasitoids were detected to be associated withC. pyri in Antalya province. The heteropterans (especially anthocorid species) were the most abundant predator group. Among the anthocorids,Anthocoris nemoralis (Fabricius) (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae), whose population was closely related to the dynamics of the pear psylla population, was generally the principal antagonist ofC. pyri. Other species recorded during the study were the miridDeraeocoris spp., the chrysopidChrysoperla carnea L., and many coccinellid species. Although these predators are polyphagous, as are theOrius species, their populations were related to the psylla fluctuations. Among the parasitoid complex belonging to the order Hymenoptera, the encyrtidTrechnites psyllae (Ruschka) was the only primary parasitoid. Two hyperparasites,viz., Syrphophagus mamitus (Walker) andPachyneuron aphidis (Bouché) (Encyrtidae and Pteromalidae, respectively), were detected in the surveys. Also, this study revealed new information concerning the pear psylla parasitoid complex in Turkey. WhileT. psyllae andS. mamitus are new records to Turkish parasitoid fauna,C. pyri is a new host record forP. aphidis. The population development and abundance of pear psylla and its natural enemies, as well as the parasitization rates in treated and untreated pear orchards, are presented here. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting May 6, 2004.     

Pathogenicity of fungi affecting black locust(Robinia pseudoacacia) in Greece

The main fungi affecting black locust(Robinia pseudoacacia L.) were recorded during a survey which took place in northern Greece in 1997. It was found thatPhomopsis oncostoma (Thüm.) v. Höhn,Aglaospora profusa (Fr.) de Not. andCucurbitaria elongata (@#@ Fr.) Grev. cause necroses of twigs, branches and even entire trees. The pathogenicity of these fungi was confirmed by inoculation experiments in which typical disease symptoms appeared with re-isolation of the respective fungi from the inoculated plants.     

两种蚜小蜂对烟粉虱MED隐种的田间笼罩控效评价

为明确烟粉虱Bemisia tabaci MED隐种优势寄生蜂海氏桨角蚜小蜂Eretmocerus hayati ZolnerowichRose与浅黄恩蚜小蜂Encarsia sophia GiraultDodd对其控制效果的影响,在棉田尼龙纱网笼罩中释放烟粉虱之后,再分别单独释放海氏桨角蚜小蜂、浅黄恩蚜小蜂以及二者以不同比例组合(1∶1、1∶3、3∶1)释放,定期调查统计2种蚜小蜂对烟粉虱的寄生量和烟粉虱的种群动态。结果表明,相对于不放蜂对照,自首次放蜂后40 d开始,所有放蜂处理均能显著降低烟粉虱若虫种群密度,每100 cm~2叶片上均少于1.00头,但各处理间的烟粉虱种群密度无显著差异;海氏桨角蚜小蜂和浅黄恩蚜小蜂以3∶1比例组合释放的处理中对烟粉虱的寄生量最高,每100 cm~2棉花叶片上能达到4.25头。表明在棉田中对烟粉虱进行生物防治时,以初级寄生蜂海氏桨角蚜小蜂与复寄生蜂浅黄恩蚜小蜂为3∶1的比例释放,可以到达较好的控制效果。     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Dittrichia viscosa</Emphasis> and<Emphasis Type="Italic">Rubus ulmifolius</Emphasis> as reservoirs of aphid parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae) and the role of certain Coccinellid species

The role of the self-sown shrubsDittrichia viscosa (L.) W. Greuter andRubus ulmifolius Schott as reservoirs of aphid parasitoids was investigated. In the field studies conducted,D. viscosa grew adjacent to crops of durum wheat and barley andR. ulmifolius grew adjacent to cotton. The relative abundance of the parasitoids of(a) Capitophorus inulae (Passerini) onD. viscosa, (b) Rhopalosiphum padi (Linnaeus) on durum wheat and barley,(c) Aphis ruborum (Börner) onR. ulmifolius, and(d) Aphis gossypii Glover on cotton in various parts of Greece, was assessed during the years 1996–2000. In 2000, the fluctuation of parasitization of the above four aphid species was recorded and the action of the aphidophagous predators of the family Coccinellidae was studied. It was observed thatAphidius matricariae Haliday predominated onC. inulae andR. padi in all sampling cases. In contrast,Lysiphlebus fabarum (Marshall) was the dominant species parasitizingA. ruborum onR. ulmifolius andA. gossypii on cotton in Thessaly (central Greece) and Macedonia (northern Greece), whereasLysiphlebus confusus Tremblay et Eady andBinodoxys acalephae (Marshall) were the dominant parasitoid species in Thrace (northern Greece).Coccinella septempunctata Linnaeus was the most abundant coccinellid species on durum wheat, whereasAdonia variegata (Goeze) predominated on cotton. However, coccinellid individuals were scarce on bothD. viscosa andR. ulmifolius. The present study indicated that these two shrubs can be regarded as useful reservoirs of aphid parasitoids.     

Analysis of nematodes and soil-borne fungi fromAmmophila arenaria (Marram grass) in Dutch coastal foredunes by multivariate techniques

A survey was carried out at nine locations in the Dutch coastal foredunes to identify the species of soil borne fungi and nematodes associated withAmmophila arenaria (Marram grass).Ammophila arenaria is a sand binding grass that is very important for the stabilization of coastal foredunes. Degeneration of the plants occurs at stabilized sites and is supposed to be caused by a combination of soil-borne fungi and nematodes. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) and two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN) were used to examine which fungal and nematode species usually coexist in the rhizosphere of vigorous and early declining stands ofA. arenaria. In total, 47 species of fungi and 10 genera of plant-parasitic nematodes were found. According to CCA, the community of soil organisms of stands that were more than 10 years old was significantly different from recently established stands of 3 years old. Also, the community of soil organisms isolated from calcareous locations differed significantly from that of lime-poor locations. No relationship between the vigour of the plants (vigorous vs. early declining) and the soil borne species composition was found, although in roots of vigorous stands, the number of nematodes was higher than that of early declining stands. A relatively large group of soil organisms occurred generally. This group possibly contains an ubiquitous pathocomplex that cause the growth reducing effects of biotic origin which generally occur inA. arenaria. Analysis of this group of nematodes and fungi by TWINSPAN resulted in 9 different combinations of concurring soil organisms of which 5 combinations were present at all investigated locations. Two of the latter combinations contained both nematodes and fungi. The first contained three endoparasitic nematodes (Meloidogyne maritima, Heterodera spp. andPratylenchus sp.) that concurred with the fungusMucor hiemalis. The second group containedHeterodera spp.,Telotylenchus ventralis, Filenchus sp. together with the potentially plant-pathogenic fungiMicrodochium bolleyi and Fusarium culmorum, as well as the fungiMortierella sp. andTrichoderma harzianum, all in relatively high numbers.It is concluded that both CCA and TWINSPAN are valuable exploratory techniques, especially when used in combination, to detect possible combinations of soil organisms which may be involved in the degeneration ofA. arenaria. Further identifications of harmful organisms should be obtained from experiments.     

Random pattern of parasitism and female-biased sex ratio in the egg parasitoid <Emphasis Type="Italic">Neochrysocharis formosa</Emphasis> attacking the pine sawfly <Emphasis Type="Italic">Diprion pini</Emphasis> in mountain forests of Spain

The most harmful hymenopteran pests of Pinus sylvestris L. are conifer sawflies from the family Diprionidae, including the widespread Diprion pini (L.). Natural enemies of this pest are still poorly known in many European areas where attacks occur. We studied the egg parasitoids of D. pini at four sites in two mountainous areas of Spain: the Sierra de Francia (western Spain) and the Sierra de Albarracín (eastern Spain). At all sites, the dominant egg parasitoid was Neochrysocharis formosa (Westwood) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), whereas other three chalcidoid species were rare. All these species were previously recorded in association with D. pini, but we report here their first record in Spain. Neochrysocharis formosa attacked up to 32.3% of egg clusters of D. pini in the Sierra de Albarracín and 18.5% in the Sierra de Francia. In the attacked egg clusters, this species parasitized up to 35% of eggs in the Sierra de Albarracín and 23.7% in the Sierra de Francia, with a marked female-biased sex ratio. Contrary to the clustered pattern of parasitism observed for N. formosa while attacking other gregarious diprionids, the oviposition in egg clusters of D. pini followed a random pattern, probably due to the froth roof (spumous coating) that covers its eggs and interferes with the egg-searching behavior of females. Indeed, other parasitoid species of D. pini have been reported to behave similarly.