Search

Papaya mealybug (Paracoccus marginatus) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) is a polyphagous pest that attacks about 54 plant families, many of which are of economic importance. Following its discovery in the USA in 1998, this mealybug rapidly spread to several countries located across Asia and Africa. Most of the damage and low yield to plants is caused by immature stages. It infests leaves and fruits turning them yellow, consequently causing them to dry out. In general, the existence of a white waxy coating has added to the challenge of controlling this pest. This pest is currently controlled using a combination of chemical, biological and cultural techniques within integrated pest management systems. This review paper outlines the current knowledge on P. marginatus and efforts taken to control this invasive pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de la Sociedad Entomológica Argentina is the property of Sociedad Entomologica Argentina and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista de la Sociedad Entomológica Argentina is the property of Sociedad Entomologica Argentina and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, is the worst pest for strawberries among all arthropod pests in Iran. In this study, essential oils from the flowering branches and fruits of the chinaberry, Melia azedarach L. were analysed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and the acaricidal activity of the oil was evaluated in fumigation tests against T. urticae. Forty-three constituents were identified and Methanecarbothiolic acid (10.80%), Ethyl Acetate (9.24%), 2-Propanone, 1-fluor (9.01), Acetic acid, 1-methylethyl ester (8.33%) and n-Propyl acetate (8.02%) were the main constituents The mites were susceptible to the oil using the fumigation method. The results stated that M. azedarach oil had high toxicity on eggs and adults of two-spotted spider mite (LC50 was 18.27 and 13.63 µL L−1 for eggs and adults, respectively) with LT50 of 12.05 h. In addition, all tested concentrations had oviposition deterrent activity and repellency on adults of this mite. For the practical use of this oil as a novel acaricide, however, further investigations are needed to evaluate the effects on non-target organisms and the cost-benefit ratio for the formulation of a product to be used on protected crops such as strawberry in the greenhouse condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field experiments were conducted during 2016–2017 on pistachio trees (Pistacia vera L., Anacardiaceae) in Kashan pistachio orchards to assess the effects of some insecticides on horticultural characteristics of the pistachio trees infested with the pistachio psylla, Agonoscena pistaciae Burckhardt & Lauterer. This research was conducted in the ten-year-old pistachio orchards (Akbari variety) of Kashan, Iran. The treatments were included palizin®, pistagaurd ®, kaolin (Surround®) 5%, kaolin 10%, movento® (registered chemical insecticide to compare) and control. Spraying was carried out three times a year, with one-month interval (4th of July, August and September). The results showed that in 2016, the effect of treatment in terms of twig length was significant. In terms of number of healthy buds was not significant and in terms of number of lost buds was highly significant. The number of unhealthy flower buds was positively affected by application of kaolin, pistaguard and palizin in 2016. However, no significant effect was recorded in 2017 for all tested pesticides. Kaolin 5 or 10%, was the only pesticide with positive effect on yield traits. These results provide support the potential use of this technology as an alternative pest management tool against pistachio psylla. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brevicoryne brassicae is one of the most important pests of wide range of cruciferous host plants. In this study, the inhibitory effects of aqueous extracts of five cultivars of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), that includes white beans, pinto, red, cowpea and keshavarzi on the activity of the α-amylase enzyme of B. brassicae was studied. Aphids were reared under laboratory conditions with 25 ± 1°C, 60 ± 5% RH and 16 L:8D h photoperiods. According to obtained results, the cytotoxic effect of extracts of the highest concentration of 0.05 mg ml−1 and within 72 hours had the best performance and mortality. Also, all bean extracts had an inhibitory effect on insect α-amylase enzyme and red bean had the highest inhibitory effect (IC50 = 0.223). The effects of the bean inhibitor on α-amylase of B. brassicae showed a dose-dependent manner of inhibition, e.g., less inhibition of enzyme activity (around 10%) with a lower dose (0.25 mg protein) and high inhibition of enzyme activity (around 90%) when a high dose of inhibitor was used (1 mg protein). Based on the data presented in this study, it could be said that the bean extract has good inhibitory activity on B. brassicae α-amylase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The citrus red mite, Panonychus citri and the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae are important pests of citrus orchards and strawberry fields and greenhouses, respectively and their lack of control causes significant damage to the plants. Excessive usage of various types of pesticides has increased the resistance of pests to them. In this research, the contact toxicity of several different biorational and chemical compositions on the eggs and adult stages of these mites was investigated. The treatments included dishwashing liquid 10 ml/L, Dayabon 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 ml/L, Palizin 1.5, 2 and 2.5 ml/L, Palizin 1.5, 2 and 2.5 + Citrol oil 5 ml/L, Tondexir 2 and 3 + Bartar soap 1 ml/L, Malathion 0.5 ml/L and control (water). At 24, 48 and 72 hours after spraying with different concentrations, dead mites were counted. The results of data analysis showed that there is a significant difference between different treatments on both mites. The highest mortality rate was observed in 72 hours after treatment with Tondexir 3 and 2 ml/L + Bartar soap 1 ml/L, which resulted in mortality of 98.13%, 42.91% in the citrus mite and 84.40% and 82.39% in the two-spotted spider mite, respectively. The results showed that the used botanical pesticides have the ability to control the aforementioned mites at a desirable level and can be a suitable alternative for other high risk acaricides [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The susceptibility of the elm leaf beetle, Xanthogaleruca luteola Müller (Col.: Chrysomelidae), 3rd instar larvae and adults to the entomopathogenic nematodes Steinernema feltiae, S. carpocapsae, and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora was determined in laboratory assays. Larval mortality was assessed at 0, 16, 32, 48, 64, 80, 96, and 112 h after exposure of the larvae and adults to six concentrations (0, 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500) of infective juveniles (IJs) per mL. The median lethal concentration (LC50) values for each nematode species against the larvae and adults of X. luteola were 167.59 and 6.73 IJ·mL-1 for S. feltiae, 218.23 and 204.09 IJ·mL-1 for S. carpocapsae, and 338.66 and 70.29 IJ·mL-1 for H. bacteriophora, respectively. Also, the median lethal time (LT50) values for each nematode species against the larvae and adults of X. luteola were 44.51 and 22.23 h for S. feltiae, 50.78 and 36.17 h for S. carpocapsae, and 67.64 and 34.71 h for H. bacteriophora, respectively. The S. feltiae nematode was the most effective species in controlling the larvae and adults of the elm leaf beetle, X. luteola. Based on these and other results, the research could be expanded on the prospects of using entomopathogenic nematodes, especially S. feltiae, in managing of the elm leaf beetle, X. luteola. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]