Yearly occurrence of maely bug Nipaecoccus viridis on citrus trees in Abu-Graib in Baghdad- Iraq

Abstract

A study was conducted in orchard at Abu-Ghraib county located within Baghdad province for a full year starting from the beginning of June 2014 to the end of June 2015. Three peaks appeared, the first peak was in the first week of July as reached 77.5 insect/tree and the degree of the upper and lower temperature and relative humidity were 44 C°, 27.3C° and 22%, respectively. While the second peak was in the second week of October reached 141 insect/tree when the degree of the upper and lower temperature and relative humidity were 39.2 C°, 17.9 C° and 41%, respectively. Then the mealy bug (Nipaecoccus viridis) numbers decreased until the insect has entered the hibernation stage in early January of 2015 which continued for three months till April, after that mealybug begun to spread and reached its highest peak in the second week of July which was 21.4 insect/tree when the degree of the upper and lower temperature and relative humidity were 42 C°, 25 C° and 21%, respectively. Then, numbers of mealybug declined and fluctuated till the end of July. The environmental studies which study of factors affecting the increase in the population of the pest and bio-number occupies privileged position between studies because they represent the main pillars in integrated pest management programs.