Infestation Rate of Almond Seed Wasp (Eurytoma Amygdali Enderlein, Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae) on Important Commercial Almond Varieties in Malatya Province (Turkey)

Abstract

Almond moth (Eurytoma amygdali Enderlein) is one of the most important pests of almond. Pest ratio can be as high as 95% in some areas in case it is not fought against. The study was conducted to determine the preferences of Almond moth for some almond varieties (Ferragnes, Ferraduel, Nonpareil, Drake, Cristomorto and Garrigues) in the years 2017 and 2018. Furthermore, times of emerging of the pest in Malatya Province and the number of individuals emerging from damages fruits based on years were determined. Cage observations were carried out and fruits were counted under field conditions and were related to meteorological data. It was fund in the study that the smallest contamination rate of E. amygdali was in Ferragnes variety (81%) followed by Cristomorto variety (%85). The highest contamination rate, however, was found in Nonpareil variety (97%). While the rate of emerging of the pests as adults in year one was 89.3%, rate of individuals passing down to the next generation was 10.6%. It was found in the study that the time of emergence as adults of Almond moth in Malatya was the end of April when the maximum air temperature was 25oC and the daily mean temperature is higher than 15oC, and when the temperatures are routinely around these levels.