ISHS Acta Horticulturae 726: IV International Symposium on Pistachios and Almonds
WEED APHIDS AND THEIR PARASITOIDS IN PISTACHIO ORCHARDS IN KERMAN PROVINCE |
| Authors: | S.Y. Emami, M.R. Mehrnejad |
| Keywords: | hyperparasitoid, ecology |
| Abstract:
Many species of weeds grow in pistachio orchards in Kerman province, Iran. Some species grow rapidly in the late winter. Two weeds species like Glycyrrhiza glabra and Alhagi camelorum are known as the major weeds of pistachio orchards at early spring. These weeds are being contaminated by two aphid species containing Aphis gossypii Glover and Aphis craccivora Koch in pistachio orchards. However, these aphids are found as suitable hosts for several primary and secondary parasitoids. Samplings on the aphids’ mummies showed that the parasitoid Lysiphlebus fabarum Marshall is the only primary parasitoid on the weeds aphids. Four more wasp species, e.g. Syrphophagus aphidivorus (Mayr), Pachyneuron aphidis (Bouché), Pachyneuron cremifaniae (=leucopisida) Masis and Marietta picta (André) act as secondary parasitoid (hyperparasitoid) on weeds aphids. Syrphophagus aphidivorus was found as the most important hyperparasitoid attacking L. fabarum. In all, it comprised 50.5% of the parasitoids that emerged from aphid mummies. The other hyperparasitoids such as P. cremifaniae, P. aphidis, and M. picta are comprised 8.93%, 8.78%, and 3.56% of the wasp’s frequency, respectively. Based on the available information and present results it is concluded that there are important ecological relationships among the weeds, weeds’ aphids, common pistachio psylla, and their parasitoids and hyperparasitoids. The parasitized weed aphids are considered as the alternative hosts for secondary parasitoids of the common pistachio psylla, Agonoscena pistaciae. Hence, we believe that activity of weed aphids’ primary parasitoid has a negative effect on the efficiency of psyllid primary parasitoid, Psyllaephagus pistaciae. | |
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