Citrus greening or huanglongbing (HLB) is the main threat to the European citrus industry since one of its vectors, the African citrus psyllid, Trioza erytreae , has recently become established in mainland Europe. In this context, classical biological control programmes should be implemented to reduce the spread of the psyllid. The aims of this study were to: i) disentangle the parasitoid complex of T . erytreae combining morphological and molecular characterization; and ii) to study the biology of its main parasitoids in its area of origin in South Africa for their future importation into Europe. The main citrus producing areas of South Africa were surveyed during 2017. In contrast to previous studies, the parasitoid complex of T . erytreae included three species of primary parasitoids: Tamarixia dryi , Psyllaephagus pulvinatus and another parasitoid of the genus Tamarixia . Molecular analysis showed that it is a new species closely related to T . dryi . Tamarixia dryi was the most abundant parasitoid but its relative abundance varied among sampling sites. The sex ratio (males/females) of T . dryi and Tamarixia sp. decreased with T . erytreae size and became female biased when psyllid nymphs were larger than 0.6 and 1.2 mm 2 , respectively. These parasitoids were attacked by three species of hyperparasitoids, Aphidencyrtus cassatus , Marietta javensis and a species of the genus Aphanogmus . Aphidencyrtus cassatus , the most abundant hyperparasitoid, tended to emerge from large nymphs, and adult females lived as long as those of T . dryi . The implications of these results are discussed within the framework of the introduction of T . dryi into Europe.
Martínez-Blay, V.; Pérez-Rodríguez, J.; Tena, A.; Soto Sánchez, AI. (2018). Density and phenology of the invasive mealybug Delottococcus aberiae on citrus: implications for integrated pest management. Journal of Pest Science. 91(2):625-637.Aknowledgements We would like to thank the owners of the orchards for allowing us to use their 19 plantations and P. Bru (IVIA) and J. Catalán (IVIA) for their help in sampling. This research was 20 supported by two predoctoral grants (FPU to V. Martínez-Blay and Val I+d to J. Pérez-Rodríguez from 21 the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport and Generalitat Valenciana, respectively), the 22 European grants FP7-IAPP #324475 'Colbics' and FP7-IRSES #612566 'Biomodic', and a national 23 project provided by INIA (Project No. RTA2014-00067). The authors thank Debra Westall (UPV) for 24 revising the manuscript.25 26 27 2 Abstract 28 Delottococcus aberiae De Lotto (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) is a new invasive citrus pest in Spain. It 29 causes severe fruit distortions and, as a new invasive mealybug, there is a lack of information about its 30 biology. This research aims to examine the seasonal trend of D. aberiae in citrus, using several sampling 31 methods, as a first step to develop an integrated pest management program. Ten citrus orchards from 32 Eastern Spain were periodically sampled during three years using absolute (plant material) and relative 33 (corrugated cardboard band traps and sticky traps) sampling methods. The three sampling methods 34 showed that D. aberiae completes multiple generations per year, two of them being clearly defined and 35 resulting in high populations. D. aberiae peaked between May and June, damaging the developing fruit.36 Corrugated cardboard band traps were able to detect prepupa and pupa male instars and gravid females, 37 providing a quantitative measurement of D. aberiae density at its first population peak. The use of 38 corrugated cardboard band traps is recommended to monitor population levels and sticky traps to 39 determine male flight periods, representing simple sampling techniques to monitor D. aberiae. These 40 results will improve the sampling protocols and allow for the development of an integrated pest 41 management program.42 Keywords: corrugated and sticky traps, life cycle, sampling protocols, D. aberiae, citrus 43 44 45 Key message 46 Delottococcus aberiae is a new invasive citrus pest in Europe and its biology is unknown. 47 This work aims to study the density of developmental stages of D. aberiae throughout the year.48 Different sampling methods showed that D. aberiae completes several generations. Two of them 49 are clearly defined and result in high population levels. 50 These results are the first seasonal population trend of D. aberiae in citrus and may serve as a 51 basis for an integrated pest management program. 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64
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