Seasonal occurrence and biological parameters of the common green lacewing predators of the common pistachio psylla, Agonoscena pistaciae (Hemiptera: Psylloidea)

Fatemeh Kazemi,Mohammad Reza Mehrnejad

doi:10.14411/eje.2011.008

Abstract

Species in the carnea complex of the common green lacewing are predators of the common pistachio psylla, Agonoscena pistaciae in both cultivated pistachio plantations and on wild pistachio plants in Iran. The seasonal occurrence of common green lacewings was monitored in pistachio orchards from 2007 to 2008. In addition, the effect of different temperature regimes on prei- maginal development, survival and prey consumption of the predatory lacewing Chrysoperla lucasina fed on A. pistaciae nymphs were studied under controlled conditions. The adults of common green lacewings first appeared on pistachio trees in mid April and were most abundant in early July, decreased in abundance in summer and increased again in October. The relative density of common green lacewings was higher in pistachio orchards where the ground was covered with herbaceous weeds than in those without weeds. In the laboratory females of C. lucasina laid an average of 1085 eggs over 60 days at 22.5°C. The maximum prey consumption occurred at 35°C when the larvae consumed 1812 fourth instar psyllid nymphs during their larval period. The intrinsic rate of natural increase (rm) was 0.11. The total development (egg-adult) required 385 degree-days above the theoretical lower devel- opmental threshold of 9.6°C.

Highlights

The common pistachio psylla, Agonoscena pistaciae Burckhardt and Lauterer (Hemiptera: Psylloidea: Rhinocolinae), is the most destructive insect pest of cultivated pistachio trees, Pistacia vera Linnaeus, in Iran (Mehrnejad, 1998, 2001)
Trends in the abundance of common green lacewings from early spring to late autumn were monitored on pistachio trees in two experimental orchards in Rafsanjan, the main pistachio production area in the southern part of Iran
Common green lacewings were first recorded in pistachio orchards in early April and continuously on pistachio trees until about mid November in both years of this study (Fig. 1)

Summary

Introduction

The common pistachio psylla, Agonoscena pistaciae Burckhardt and Lauterer (Hemiptera: Psylloidea: Rhinocolinae), is the most destructive insect pest of cultivated pistachio trees, Pistacia vera Linnaeus, in Iran (Mehrnejad, 1998, 2001). It is a major pest in many pistachio growing regions in countries around Iran’s borders, such as Armenia, Iraq, Turkey and Turkmenistan, as well as Mediterranean regions such as Greece and Syria (Burckhardt & Lauterer, 1989, 1993; Mart et al, 1995; Bolu, 2002; Souliotis et al, 2002). Lacewings of the family Chrysopidae are polyphagous predators and important biological control agents of aphids and other soft-bodied phytophagous insects. As Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) senso lato is a generalist predator, it is mass reared for release in glass-houses and field crops (Thierry et al, 2002; Mochizuki & Mitsunaga, 2004)

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Results

Conclusion