Laboratory Investigation of the Biology of Bactericera tremblayi Wag. (Homoptera: Triozidae) a New Pest in Onion Fields of Iran

Abstract

Problem Statement: Psyllids as a small group of insects with plant feeding adult and nymphal stages, not only could have direct feeding damages but they could also transmit plant diseases especially viruses. Bactericera tremblayi had recently increased to high densities in onion fields in East Azarbaijan province in Iran and the pest had become widespread. This was the first study of the biology of the pest in Iran and probably in the world. Approach: After collection of the adult insects from infested onion fields, they were then reared in laboratory under controlled conditions (at 21±3°C, 60±10% RH and under a 14:10 (L: D) light regime) and different life stages of the pest were studied. Results: The lifespan of adult male and female psyllids was 33.63±2.36 and 39.94±2.64 days respectively. The preoviposition period was 3.75±0.14 days. The total number of eggs laid per female was 625.5±53.9. Egg incubation took 7.44±0.15 days and a mean of 90.3% eggs hatched. The nymphs passed through five instars before reaching the adult stage and the development time for the nymphal stage was 17.71±0.61 days. The sex ratio was estimated as 1:1. Conclusions: The results of the present study could successfully be applied to future IPM strategies in order to effectively control this pest with relatively unknown biological characteristics and decrease the damages observed in onion fields.

First record of the onion psyllid Bactericera tremblayi (Wagner, 1961) in France (Insecta: Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Psylloidea), new symptoms on leek crops and reassessment of the B. nigricornis‐group distribution

“…(), but without providing a reliable source for this record. Indeed, the species is reported formally from Italy (Wagner, ; Tremblay, ; Conci & Tamanini, ), Turkey (Klimaszewski & Lodos, ), Switzerland (Burckhardt, ; a revision of the respective material shows that the record is erroneous), Greece (Burckhardt, ), Iran (Burckhardt & Lauterer, ; Kazemi & Jafarloo, ), Serbia (Jerinić‐Prodanović, ) and Bosnia‐Herzegovina (Đuric & Hrnčic, ). The record from Syria by Klimaszewski () remains doubtful.…”

“…It can have 7–10 generations per year. The mean development time of the five nymphal stages is around 18 days in Iran (Kazemi & Jafarloo, ), 23 days in Serbia (Jerinić‐Prodanović, ) and 14–15 days in summer and around 2 months in winter in Italy (Tremblay, ), but variations due to host‐plant and temperature can be observed. Virtually nothing is known about the spread capability of this species, but the multivoltinism, the polyphagy and the observed rapid extension of distribution range in France show that it may be high.…”

Rapid Communication. Tamarixia monesus (Walker) (Hym.: Eulophidae) parasitoid of Bactericera tremblayi (Wagner, 1961) (Hemiptera: Triozidae) in Iran

“…It has been found in Italy (Wagner 1961;Tremblay 1965;Conci and Tamanini 1988), Turkey (Klimaszewski and Lodos 1979), Switzerland (Burckhardt 1983), Greece (Burckhardt 1988), Bosnia-Herzegovina (Đuric and Hrnčic 2010), France (Ouvrard and Burckhardt 2012), Jordan (Ouvrard and Burckhardt 2012), Serbia (Jerinić--Prodanović 2006), Spain (Teresani et al 2015) and Iran (Burckhardt and Lauterer 1993;Kazemi and Jafarloo 2008). Bactericera tremblayi attacks diff erent families of host plants especially: Amaryllidaceae, Amaranthaceae, Apiaceae, Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Caryophyllaceae and Solanaceae (Klimaszewski and Lodos 1979;Burckhardt 1983;Conci and Tamanini 1988;Jerinić-Prodanović 2006;Kazemi and Jafarloo 2008).…”

“…Th e onion psyllid, Bactericera tremblayi (Wagner, 1961) (Hemiptera: Triozidae) is a pest almost exclusively on onion in Iran (Kazemi and Jafarloo 2008). It has been found in Italy (Wagner 1961;Tremblay 1965;Conci and Tamanini 1988), Turkey (Klimaszewski and Lodos 1979), Switzerland (Burckhardt 1983), Greece (Burckhardt 1988), Bosnia-Herzegovina (Đuric and Hrnčic 2010), France (Ouvrard and Burckhardt 2012), Jordan (Ouvrard and Burckhardt 2012), Serbia (Jerinić--Prodanović 2006), Spain (Teresani et al 2015) and Iran (Burckhardt and Lauterer 1993;Kazemi and Jafarloo 2008).…”

Vector mediated transmission of Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum and epidemiological consequences

“…Additionally, B. tremblayi has been associated to leek and onion crops in Spain, France, Serbia and Iran where it causes severe economic damage (Kazemi and Jafarloo, 2008;Ouvrard and Burckhardt, 2012). Bactericera tremblayi has been also collected in carrot fields in Spain , but is still uncertain if this psyllid is able to reproduce on this crop.…”