Coccoidea infesting goldenberry, Physalis peruviana L. with ecological and control studies of the cotton mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis tinsley (Hemiptera, Coccomorpha, Pseudocccidae) from Egypt

Abstract

The promising untraditional crop, Goldenberry, Physalis peruviana L. rapidly cultivated in many countries as a demand of fruit as in fresh markets; medicinal purposes; developing processing industry and rapid growing of exportation. Unfortunately, the plant recognized highly infesting by many Coccoidea species in Qalyubiya Governorate, Egypt thus experiments conducted to survey, population fluctuations and control of the most found prominent species. During the survey study period a total of four Coccoidea species following four genera belonging to two families of Supper family Coccoidea were recorded three of them were recorded for the first time infesting Physalis peruviana L as well as a total of six predators and two parasitoids recorded associated with the collected species. Data obtained indicated that, the most dominant Coccoidea species was the cotton mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis causing a severe infestation reducing the quantity and quality of the goldenberry crop therefore the study on this pest covers a population fluctuations and number of generations as well as its associated natural enemies during two successive growing seasons of 2019-2020 and 2020-2021. The results obtained clarified that P. solenopsis Tinsley have three peaks of abundance in both seasons in the selected goldenberry orchards with a very low effective of the recorded parasitoid, Dicrodiplosis manihoti Harris. The correlation of the selective abiotic factors (maximum & minimum temperature and relative humidity) and biotic factors (natural enemies) with the population fluctuation of the cotton mealybug were studied. A control study conducted to evaluate the highest and safest alternative pesticide to reduce the pest especially with lake of sufficient parasitoid found during the period of study. This study could be a great help to understand the endemicity of the species and the best way to control without several problems such as, pesticide residual, pest resistance, secondary pest outbreaks.