Abstract
Cryptolaemus montrouzieri(Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) has been widely used in classical and inundative biological control of mealybugs, including the long-tailed mealybug,Pseudococcus longispinus(Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae). This study was conducted to investigate colonization and establishment efficiency ofC. montrouzierito manageP. longispinuson three different ornamental plant species (Ficus elastica, Lilium longiflorum, andDieffenbachia seguine). Within-plant distribution pattern ofP. longispinusand the colonization ecology of adultC. montrouzieriwere investigated. Significantly moreP. longispinuswere found on the upper parts of the plants regardless of plant species, andC. montrouzieriadults discoveredP. longispinussignificantly faster when they were released on the top of the plants than on the bottom. Choice tests revealed thatC. montrouzieriadults preferred smallerP. longispinusnymphs. The implications for utilization ofC. montrouzierifor biological control of mealybugs on various ornamental plants are discussed.
Highlights
The long-tailed mealybug, Pseudococcus longispinus (Targioni-Tozzetti) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), is a key pest of fruit trees and ornamental plants
The time C. montrouzieri spent to find the first P. longispinus was significantly different among the three different plant species (F = 7.9; df = 2,24; P = 0.002) and the two different release points (F = 29.73; df = 1,24; P < 0.001)
We found that C. montrouzieri spent significantly more time searching for P. longispinus when they were released from the bottom of the plants regardless of plant species (Figure 1)
Summary
The long-tailed mealybug, Pseudococcus longispinus (Targioni-Tozzetti) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), is a key pest of fruit trees and ornamental plants. P. longispinus feeds on various plant parts including roots, trunks, cordons, canes, leaves, and fruits, causing aesthetic damage on ornamental plants or yield loss of crops [1]. Fungal pathogens that grow on the honeydew excreted by P. longispinus can cause further damage. High P. longispinus densities often cause leaf drop and reductions of crop quality and yield; Uygun [2] reported that yield loss of citrus due to P. longispinus could be up to 80–90%. Chemical management of P. longispinus is difficult because it produces thick layers of protective wax and can hide in bark crevices, spurs, or canes. Biological control using natural enemies has been a major alternate method to manage P. longispinus [5]
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