Distribution Of Phenacoccus Solenopsis Infesting Okra Plants: Evidence for Improving a Pest Scouting Method.

Abstract

Understanding insect behavior is a prerequisite for establishing pest scouting tools for determining possible damage and implementing control measures for the cotton mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) on okra plants. Field trials were conducted to estimate the distribution modalities of P. solenopsis on plants in different cardinal directions, plant strata, leaf surfaces, and field depth (spaces from field boundaries), in a private okra field (Balady cultivar) at Esna district, Luxor Governorate during two consecutive seasons (2021 and 2022). Results revealed that P. solenopsis attacked okra plants, were observed from the first week of March through the end of July during each season, and occurred on all okra field directions in all plant levels and on leaf surfaces, on all the dates of weekly inspections. During the two seasons, there were highly significant differences in population, as well as infestation percentages in various cardinal directions, and very significant changes between the various stratums of plant and on leaf surfaces, as well as between the various distances from field boarders. P. solenopsis favors the lower leaf surface of the top stratum of the plant, in the south and east aspects, where its population was constantly abundant throughout the season, and pests more highly attacked okra plants distant from the farm borders than close plants over each season. The current information can be used to help design mealybug monitoring and control programs on okra plants.

Estimation of the cotton mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), populations and its relation to the okra yield

“…Mealybug known as Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) is a large and harmful insect pest that infects all parts of the okra plant, causing the plant to dry out, deform and drop the fruit [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] . Mealybug infestations on okra crops in Egypt have sometimes led to significant losses in the commercial crop [7][8] .…”

“…The abundance of mealybugs' populations was recorded at a weekly interval through the morning hours. The estimation of mealybugs' population was based on the numerical counting technique described according to Bakry, [16] ; Bakry and Fathipour, [7] . The total counts of mealybugs were estimated on the 10 okra leaves per plot, which were randomly selected from different areas within each plot and tagged.…”

Effect of yeast and mineral fertilisers on the level attack of the solenopsis mealybug and productivity okra plants

“…It is a little sap-sucking insect that seriously harms okra plants. All plant parts, including the leaves, branches, and fruits, are infested with this pest (Bakry, 2022;Bakry, Badawy and Mohamed, 2023). A sign of an infestation is the growth and aggregation of P. solenopsis bodies on the damaged plant parts (Shah, Ahmed and Memon, 2015).…”