SURVEY OF MAIN INSECT SPECIES ASSOCIATED WITH CERTAIN MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANTS AT AWLAD-SAKR DISTRICT, SHARKIA GOVERNORATE

Abstract

The present study was conducted to survey the economic insect pests infesting some medicinal and aromatic plants i.e., roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.), thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) and sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) and their common associated natural enemies as well as pollinators and visitors at Awlad–Sakr district, Sharkia Governorate, Egypt during the two summer growing seasons 2015 and 2016. The results recorded that 29 insect species belongs to 25 families and 10 orders associated with the three studied medicinal and aromatic plants. Destructive insects comprised 17 species belongs to 15 families and 8 orders. Predaceous insects composed 8 species of 6 families and 5 orders. Parasitoids were represented by only one species on sweet basil. Results also cleared that pollinators and visitors included 3 species belong to 3 families and 2 orders. Aphis gossypii Glover, Bemisia tabaci (Genn.) and Empoasca decipiens (Paoli) were the most dominant insect pests on roselle, thyme and sweet basil plants. A. gossypii was the main insect pest on roselle exhibited by general total percentage of 38.19% in the two seasons and B. tabaci of 51.40% on thyme and E. decipiens of 60.48%on sweet basil. The main predaceous insect recorded on the three aforementioned plants was Coccinella undecimpunctata L., representing 72.53, 56.18 and 30.38%, respectively. Yellow sticky board trap proved to be the most effective method for collecting E. decipiens, B. tabaci, Thrips tabaci Lind., Musca domestica L., C. undecimpunctata, Metasyrphus corollae (Fabr.), Chelonus ininatus L. and Culiseta longiarolata (Macq.), while thesweeping net was the pest methodfor collecting Cosmolyce baeticus L., Nezara virdula L., Aphis mellifera L., Philanthus abdelkader Luc. and Egyptica legyptius.Plant sampling technique was effective for estimating A. gossypii and Iceria aegyptiac Douglas.