THE ROLE OF PARASITOIDS IN CONTROLLING SAN JOSE SCALE, Qudaraspidiotus perntctosus (Comstock) (HEMIPTERA: DIASPIDIDAE) POPULATIONS AS A NEW INTRODUCED PEST TO Egypt.

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Economic Entomology Department, Faculty of Agriculture. Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.

2 Faculty of Agriculture - Mansoura University.

Abstract

The experiments were conducted in a plum (Prunus salicina (Lind) orchard -
located at the Experimental Research Station of the Faculty of Agriculture, Mansoura
University during 2001/2002 and 200212003 seasons. The diaspidid, Quadrasp < /em>idiotus
perniciosus (Comstock) was recorded for the first time in Egypt. Two aphelinid
parasitoids were founded associated with the pest populations nemaly, Aphytis
diaspidis De8ach and Encarsia citrin a Craw. during both years of study. The
ectoparasitoid, A. diaspidis was the most dominant parasitoid and represented the
majority of the total numbers of emerging parasitoids.
The total numbers of A. diasp < /em>idis immature stages showed three peaks
during the 1st week of May, 3'd week of October and 2nd week of December, 2001.
While, four slight peaks of seasonal abundance were recorded in the second year
occurred at the 4th week of March, 1st week of September (2002), 1st week of January,
and t" week of March (2003).
The average percentages of mortality caused by parasitoids throughout the
whole year represented by 17.05 and 18.19 %, while mortality caused by predators
represented by 9.45 and 12.91 % and unknown mortality represented by 9.398 and
5.38 % during the first and second year, respectively.