Abd El-Kareim,, A., El-Naggar, M., Marouf, A. (2007). IS Matricaria chamomilla A BENEFICIAL INSECTARY PLANT?. Journal of Plant Protection and Pathology, 32(8), 6777-6786. doi: 10.21608/jppp.2007.220161
A. I. Abd El-Kareim,; M. E. El-Naggar; Amal E. Marouf. "IS Matricaria chamomilla A BENEFICIAL INSECTARY PLANT?". Journal of Plant Protection and Pathology, 32, 8, 2007, 6777-6786. doi: 10.21608/jppp.2007.220161
Abd El-Kareim,, A., El-Naggar, M., Marouf, A. (2007). 'IS Matricaria chamomilla A BENEFICIAL INSECTARY PLANT?', Journal of Plant Protection and Pathology, 32(8), pp. 6777-6786. doi: 10.21608/jppp.2007.220161
Abd El-Kareim,, A., El-Naggar, M., Marouf, A. IS Matricaria chamomilla A BENEFICIAL INSECTARY PLANT?. Journal of Plant Protection and Pathology, 2007; 32(8): 6777-6786. doi: 10.21608/jppp.2007.220161
IS Matricaria chamomilla A BENEFICIAL INSECTARY PLANT?
1Econom. Entomol. Dept., Fac. of Agric., Mansoura Univ., Mansoura, Egypt.
2Agric. Res. Center (ARC), Dokki, Giza, Egypt.
Abstract
Field studies were conducted at the Experimental Research Station, Faculty of Agriculture, MansouraUniversity, to determine if Matricaria chamomilla is a beneficial insectary plant. The relative attractiveness of insect predators (aphidophagous) and their preys (aphids) to M. chamomilla were evaluated throughout two successive seasons (2005/206 and 2006/2007). The obtained results indicated that M. chamomilla was visited by several insect predators. A total of ten species of aphidophagous were collected. Although species varied somewhat among the two seasons, the most common aphidophagous species in sweep net were belonging to four families namely Coccinellidae, Syrphidae, Staphelinidae and Chrysopidae. Attractiveness of insect predators to M. chamomilla differed by dates and seasons. Chamomile flowers appear to be strongly attractive to aphidophagous species of hoverflies and the coccinellid, Coccinella undecimpunctata L.
To test the hypothesis that regulation of aphid population would be improved by providing floral resources (M. chamomilla) for adult natural enemies, an experimental field plots each containing a central bed of pea plants Pisum satavium. A set of plots encircled either by chamomile plants or no forbs. Aphidophagous were more abundant in pea plots encircled by chamomile plants compared to those having no floral plants. Densities of aphid were typically lower in plots containing floral resource plants than in plots without them. On the other hand, the percentage of parasitism was significantly higher on aphid population within plots surrounded with chamomile plants than those without floral resource. These results suggest that M. chamomilla is an insectary plant with facultative mutualist predator-parasitoid visitors.
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