Distribution and structure of aphid and their parasitoids community in the Kurdistan Region-Iraq

Abstract

Aphids are significant pests to many host plant species throughout the world. Aphids are on the other hand parasitized by a variety of parasitoid wasps which can potentially be used as biocontrol agents. The focus of the present study is on the pattern and distribution of the aphids and their parasitoids in the Kurdistan region in the northern part of Iraq. A field study was conducted at four locations with different bio-geographic elements and climatic conditions on several different host plant species. It turned out that the highest number of aphids and parasitoids was recorded in Darbandi Gomaspan and the lowest number of aphid and parasitoids was in Choman. Number of parasitoids were generally lower than the number of aphids. The parasitoids presented in this work have been reared from 13 aphid host taxa occurring on plants sampled from different locations. Most of the species of parasitoids belonging to the families Braconidae and Aphelinidae.  The results of this study can be considered as a first data on the population of aphids and their parasitoids in this region. Further research will be undertaken for promising the biological control of aphid pests in this region.