Aunu Rauf

Leafminers in vegetables, ornamental plants and weeds in Indonesia: Surveys of host crops, species composition and parasitoids

Extensive surveys of vegetable, ornamental and weedy plant species were conducted in highland and lowland vegetable production areas in Indonesia with the aim of recording leafminer species present and their associated natural enemies. The most common dipterous species reared from samples was the pea leafminer, Liriomyza huidobrensis (Blanchard) (Diptera: Agromyzidae). This introduced pest was particularly serious in highland vegetables in Java, Sumatra and South Sulawesi, causing yield losses as high as 60-70%. Another alien species, the vegetable leafminer, Liriomyza sativae Blanchard, contributed to problems in lowland areas on the north coast of West Java, where cucumbers were heavily damaged. An Asian leafminer species, Chromatomyia horticola Goureau, was more common in snow peas (Pisum sp.). Intensive sampling of leafminer-infested leaves from surveyed host plants yielded 11 species of hymenopteran parasitoids: 10 eulophids (Asecodes sp., Chrysocharis sp., Cirrospilus ambiguus (Hansson and LaSalle), Closterocerus sp., Hemiptarsenus varicornis (Girault), Neochrysocharis formosa (Westwood), Neochrysocharis sp., Pnigalio sp., Quadrastichus sp., Zagrammosoma sp.) and 1 eucoilid (Gronotoma sp.). The most abundant parasitoid species was H. varicornis. Levels of parasitism varied among crops and growing seasons, but were usually low, especially on potato (< 3%). Surveys revealed that most farmers (63%) attempted to control leafminers by applying insecticides twice weekly although these applications were neither effective nor economical according to responses of about 72% of the farmers. An integrated pest management approach is suggested that emphasizes IPM training for vegetable farmers and includes reductionor elimination of broad spectrum chemicals that would adversely affect parasitoids that may already be present as well as those that may be introduced. The initiation of a classical biological control programme is recommended to enhance the limited parasitoid complex present in Indonesia and increase levels of biological control.

Pesticide applications on Java potato fields are ineffective in controlling leafminers, and have antagonistic effects on natural enemies of leafminers

Abstract In Indonesia a range of insecticides is routinely applied to control agromyzid leafminers. Insecticide applications can reduce parasitism by indigenous parasitoid wasps and also decrease numbers of the predatory muscid fly, Coenosia humilis, and these effects reduce control of leafminers. In replicated field trials, repeated applications of Profenofos were ineffective in controlling L. huidobrensis numbers on potatoes. Applications of Profenofos and Carbosulfan decreased rates of parasitism byHemiptarsenus varicornis and Opius chromatomyiae, and reduced numbers of C. humilis. These detrimental effects of the pesticides observed may have contributed to the increased damage and decreased yield in the pesticide-treated fields. An alternative control strategy involving the applications of Abamectin led to a reduction in leafminers without harmful effects on parasitoids and predators. Abamectin applications provide one potential component of an effective Liriomyza control strategy for Indonesian potato farmers.

Molecular Characterization of Pepper yellow leaf curl Indonesia virus in Leaf Curl and Yellowing Diseased Tomato and Pepper in Indonesia

Yellowing and leaf curl symptoms were observed in tomato and pepper fields near Bogor, Java, Indonesia in 2000. Samples were collected from one diseased tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum) and three diseased chili pepper (Capsicum annuum) plants. Viral DNA was extracted (2) and tested for the presence of geminiviral DNA-A, DNA-B, and associated satellite DNA using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with previously described primers (1,3,4). The begomovirus DNA-A general primer pair PAL1v1978/PAR1c715 amplified the predicted 1.4-kb DNA fragment from the tomato and two of the chili samples. DNA-B and satellite DNA were not detected using PCR with DNA-B general primer pairs (DNABLC1/DNABLV2 and DNABLC2/DNABLV2) and satellite detection primer pair (Beta01/Beta02). The amplicons from the tomato and from one of the chili samples were cloned and sequenced. On the basis of the 1.4-kb DNA sequences, specific primers were designed to complete the DNA-A sequences. Following sequence assembly, the full-length DNA-A nucleotide sequences were determined as 2,744 nt (GenBank Accession No. DQ083765) for the tomato- and 2,743 nt (GenBank Accession No. DQ083764) for the chili-infecting begomoviruses. Sequence comparisons and analyses were conducted using the DNAMAN sequence analysis software (Lynnon Corporation, Quebec, Canada). The DNA-A of both begomoviruses contained six open reading frames, including two in the virus sense and four in the complementary sense, and the geminivirus conserved nanosequence-TAATATTAC in the loop of the hairpin structure of the intergenic region. Because of their high nucleotide sequence identities of 99%, the tomato- and chili-infecting begomovirus are considered the same virus. When compared by using BLAST with available gem-iniviral sequences in the GenBank database, the DNA-A sequences of the tomato and the chili isolates showed highest nucleotide sequence identity (95%) with the partially sequenced Pepper yellow leaf curl Indonesia virus (GenBank Accession No. AB189849) in the 1,842 nt to 660 nt region and in the 1,841 nt to 659 nt region, respectively. Comparisons with full-length DNA-A sequences of begomoviruses available in the GenBank database indicated high sequence identities of 76 and 77% for the tomato and chili isolates, respectively, with an eggplant isolate of Tomato yellow leaf curl Kanchanaburi virus (GenBank Accession No. AF511530) from Thailand. According to our knowledge, this is the first report of full-length DNA-A sequence of the Pepper yellow leaf curl Indonesia virus and its natural occurrence in tomato and pepper in the Bogor area of Indonesia. References: (1) R. W. Briddon et al. Virology 312:106, 2003. (2) R. L. Gilbertson et al. J. Gen. Virol. 72:2843, 1991. (3) S. K. Green et al. Plant Dis. 85:1286, 2001. (4) M. R. Rojas et al. Plant Dis. 77:340, 1993.

I-PEDIA: Mobile application for paddy disease identification using fuzzy entropy and probabilistic neural network

This research developed a mobile application for paddy plant disease identification system using fuzzy entropy and classifier probabilistic neural network (PNN) that runs on Android mobiles operating system. Paddy diseases are a major cause of yield loss and lower profit in rice production. Paddy diseases are extracted from digital paddy leaf images using fuzzy entropy and then the diseases are classified using PNN. Cross validation is used for assessing how the results of a statistical analysis will generallize to an independent data set. The experiment result shows that the accuracy of paddy diseases identification is 91.46%.

A new species of Zagrammosoma (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) from the Indo-Australian region, a parasitoid of the invasive pest species Liriomyza huidobrensis (Diptera: Agromyzidae).

Abstract Zagrammosoma latilineatum Ubaidillah, sp. nov. is described from Indonesia and Australia (Queensland). It has been reared from Liriomyza huidobrensis, an introduced pest of potatoes and other crops in Southeast Asia. This is the first record of Zagrammosoma from Southeast Asia. The biology of Zagrammosoma species is reviewed.

The Invasive Liriomyza huidobrensis (Diptera: Agromyzidae): Understanding Its Pest Status and Management Globally

Liriomyza huidobrensis (Blanchard) is native to South America but has expanded its range and invaded many regions of the world, primarily on flowers and to a lesser extent on horticultural product shipments. As a result of initial invasion into an area, damage caused is usually significant but not necessarily sustained. Currently, it is an economic pest in selected native and invaded regions of the world. Adults cause damage by puncturing abaxial and adaxial leaf surfaces for feeding and egg laying sites. Larvae mine the leaf parenchyma tissues which can lead to leaves drying and wilting. We have recorded 365 host plant species from 49 families and more than 106 parasitoid species. In a subset of the Argentinian data, we found that parasitoid community composition attacking L. huidobrensis differs significantly in cultivated and uncultivated plants. No such effect was found at the world level, probably due to differences in collection methods in the different references. We review the existing knowledge as a means of setting the context for new and unpublished data. The main objective is to provide an update of widely dispersed and until now unpublished data, evaluate dispersion of the leafminer and management strategies in different regions of the world, and highlight the need to consider the possible effects of climate change on further regional invasions or expansions.

Termite Diversity in Urban Landscape, South Jakarta, Indonesia.

The population of South Jakarta, a city within the Province of Jakarta Capital Region, is increasing annually, and the development of land into building causes termite diversity loss. The aim of this research was to determine the diversity of subterranean termite species and their distribution in South Jakarta and to evaluate the soil profile termite habitat. This study was conducted in South Jakarta and was carried out at four residential areas representing four randomly selected sub-districts. Specimens were collected with a baiting system. At each residence, as many as 25–30 stakes of pine wood (Pinus merkusii) sized 2 cm × 2 cm × 46 cm were placed for termite sampling. Soil samples were also collected from each residence for testing of their texture, pH, soil water content, and C-organic. Three species of subterranean termites were identified, including Coptotermes curvignathus, Microtermes insperatus, and Macrotermes gilvus, with area-specific variations in occurrence. The soil and weather conditions in the studied areas provided suitable habitat for termites, and M. insperatus was the most commonly found species.

Sap-sucking insect records (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha and Thysanoptera: Thripidae) from Indonesia.

Abstract Sap-sucking insects (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha and Thysanoptera: Thripidae) collected in Java, Sumatra and Sulawesi were identified. From 28 samples collected on 9 crop and ornamental host-plant species, 21 species of sap-sucking insects were identified, 12 (57%) of which were new island distribution records. This suggests that the Indonesian insect fauna has not been documented for a long time. The new distribution records are: from Java, Lepidosaphes gloverii (Packard) (Diaspididae); from Sumatra, Clavaspidiotus apicalis Takagi (Diaspididae); and from Sulawesi, Coccus hesperidum L. (Coccidae), Saissetia coffeae (Walker) (Coccidae), Aulacaspis yasumatsui Takagi (Diaspididae), Hemiberlesia palmae (Cockerell) (Diaspididae), Lepidosaphes tokionis (Kuwana) (Diaspididae), Microparlatoria fici (Takahashi) (Diaspididae), Pseudaulacaspis cockerelli (Cooley) (Diaspididae), Icerya aegyptiaca (Douglas) (Monophlebidae), I. pulchra (Leonardi) (Monophlebidae) and Selenothrips rubrocinctus (Giard) (Thripidae). Clavaspidiotus apicalis could become a potentially invasive pest of citrus.

Continental-scale suppression of an invasive pest by a host-specific parasitoid underlines both environmental and economic benefits of arthropod biological control

Biological control, a globally-important ecosystem service, can provide long-term and broad-scale suppression of invasive pests, weeds and pathogens in natural, urban and agricultural environments. Following (few) historic cases that led to sizeable environmental up-sets, the discipline of arthropod biological control has—over the past decades—evolved and matured. Now, by deliberately taking into account the ecological risks associated with the planned introduction of insect natural enemies, immense environmental and societal benefits can be gained. In this study, we document and analyze a successful case of biological control against the cassava mealybug, Phenacoccus manihoti (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) which invaded Southeast Asia in 2008, where it caused substantial crop losses and triggered two- to three-fold surges in agricultural commodity prices. In 2009, the host-specific parasitoid Anagyrus lopezi (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) was released in Thailand and subsequently introduced into neighboring Asian countries. Drawing upon continental-scale insect surveys, multi-year population studies and (field-level) experimental assays, we show how A. lopezi attained intermediate to high parasitism rates across diverse agro-ecological contexts. Driving mealybug populations below non-damaging levels over a broad geographical area, A. lopezi allowed yield recoveries up to 10.0 t/ha and provided biological control services worth several hundred dollars per ha (at local farm-gate prices) in Asia’s four-million ha cassava crop. Our work provides lessons to invasion science and crop protection worldwide. Furthermore, it accentuates the importance of scientifically-guided biological control for insect pest management, and highlights its potentially large socio-economic benefits to agricultural sustainability in the face of a debilitating invasive pest. In times of unrelenting insect invasions, surging pesticide use and accelerating biodiversity loss across the globe, this study demonstrates how biological control—as a pure public good endeavor—constitutes a powerful, cost-effective and environmentally-responsible solution for invasive species mitigation.

Computer Vision for Screening Resistance Level of Rice Varieties to Brown Planthopper

Brown planthopper is one of the most important insect pest that threatens the stability of national rice production in Indonesia. One of the efforts to save rice production is by using brown planthopper resistant variety. Currently the determination approach is still conventional based on Standard Seedboxes Screening Test from IRRI with assistance of experienced experts in the scoring process resistance level.In this study, a prototype of application system to predict resistance levels by image color approach was developed. The method consists of collecting images data, preparation process (background and objects segmentation), and determination of area proportion which has been infected (sick and dead) and healthy, based on ‘A’ value from CIELab color space laboratory. According to proportion value distribution, the rule of rice resistance to brown planthopper assessment based on image was developed. The rule is mostly similar with IRRI standard rules. All of images were assessed based on the rule and then the model was developed with an error rate of 17.02%.