Two-Sex Life Table Analysis of Phenacoccus solenopsis (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) on Lettuce, Parsley, and Rocket

Abstract

Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), commonly known as the cotton mealybug, is a polyphagous pest causes significant economic losses worldwide. This study aimed to determine two-sex life table analysis of P. solenopsis on lettuce (Lactuca sativa), parsley (Petroselinum crispum), and rocket (Eruca sativa). Experiments were conducted under controlled conditions 26°C, 65 ± 10% relative humidity, and a 16:8 light-dark cycle. The results indicated that lettuce was more suitable for P. solenopsis development comparted to parsley and rocket. Total fecundity of P. solenopsis was recorded as 221.45, 158.00, and 121.64, on lettuce, parsley, and rocket respectively. In addition, ovipositon period of P. solenopsis was 14.00, 9.73, and 8.45 days on lettuce, parsley, and rocket respectively. The highest values of net reproductive rate (R0), intrinsic rate of increase (r), and finite rate of increase (λ) were obtained as 97.44 offspring female-1, 0.14 day-1, 1.16 day-1, respectively from lettuce in this present research. The results showed that lettuce was the better host plant for P. soleneopsis than parsley and rocket. However, further studies should be done about host plant pest interactions to provide successful control measures against P. solenopsis.