Survey of Mycodiplosis rübsaamen Larvae Feeding on the Rust Fungi and Their Plant Hosts

Abstract

A study was conducted to survey rust fungi which the insect Mycodiplosis Rübsaamen (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) larvae feed on, at different locations along the Syrian coast during 2008-2020. The study showed the presence of gall midge Mycodiplosis spp on 77 plant species feeding on 57 fungal species belonging to 8 genera. Results showed that larvae appeared in March and continued until June on Phragmidium violaceum infecting Rubus sanguineus and on Puccinia menthae infecting Mentha spicata. Whereas, larvae that feed on fungi which infect host plant late in October, appeared at the beginning of infection and continued until November, such as Cerotelium fici on Ficus carica. The results showed a difference in the frequency of the presence of Mycodiplosis larvae on the plant families and varieties of rust fungi. The occurrence of Mycodiplosis larva on 12 plant families was 100% due to presence of larva on all rust-infected plant families, whereas occurrence rate on some plant families varied and reached 92.31% on Fabaceae plants, and no presence was observed on Plumbaginaceae plants. Second stage larvae consumed 82.37% of the uredio-pustules of Puccinia conclusa. Keywords: Biological control, Diptera, Cecidomyiidae, Mycodiplosis, Uredinales, Syria