M. Rifat Ulusoy

Host range, distribution, and natural enemies of Bemisia tabaci ‘B biotype’ (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) in Turkey

The whitefly Bemisiatabaci (Gennadius) has caused notable damage to vegetable and cotton crops in the eastern Mediterranean region since about 1994, and has become particularly problematic in southern Turkey beginning in 2000. The development of squash silverleaf symptoms in Cucurbita species and the unprecedented high population levels in the region suggested that the B biotype, notable for the latter phenotypes, had been introduced. To test this hypothesis and determine the host distribution of the suspect introduced B biotype and its associated natural enemies, B. tabaci immature instars and adults, and the associated natural enemies were collected from cultivated and uncultivated plant species. From the southern Turkey collections, B. tabaci was found to colonize 152 species from 43 plant families. Of the plant species upon which B. tabaci was found to reproduce, 152 of them were reported as hosts of B. tabaci in Turkey. Five species of predators and two species of parasitoids were identified as natural enemies of the B biotype of B. tabaci in southern Turkey. Using the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene all B. tabaci were identified as the B biotype of the B. tabaci complex, at 96–100% shared identity with reference B biotype sequences. Results indicate that this invasive biotype has displaced the local Turkey-cotton haplotype that was known to occur previously in southern Turkey.

Effect of certainBrassica plants on biology of the cabbage aphidBrevicoryne brassicae under laboratory conditions

The development time, mortality, survivorship and reproduction of the cabbage aphidBrevicoryne brassicae (L.) were evaluated on detached leaves of sixBrassica species (cabbage cv. ‘Yalova 1’, cauliflower cv. ‘Early Snowball’, broccoli cv. ‘Marathon’, turnip cv. ‘Antep’, rapeseed cv. local variety, and wild mustard) at a constant temperature of 20°C. Total development time ofB. brassicae was the shortest (8.9 days) on cauliflower and the longest (10.4 days) on cabbage. Mortality of immature stages varied from 16% on cabbage to 88% on turnip. Longevity of the cabbage aphid was the shortest (6.2 days) on mustard, and the longest (21.8 days) on cauliflower. The net reproductive rate was highest (35.98) on cauliflower, and lowest (1.89) on turnip. The intrinsic rate of increase was 0.2345 on cauliflower, followed by 0.2009 on cabbage, 0.1976 on broccoli, 0.1662 on mustard, 0.1357 on rapeseed, and 0.0465 on turnip. Cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli were susceptible host plants for the cabbage aphid. Rapeseed, turnip and mustard showed resistance to the pest.

A survey of aphid parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae) in Diyarbakır, Turkey.

A list is given of aphid parasitoids found in Diyarbakır Province, Turkey. In the survey, performed between 1998 and 2000, 16 species of aphid parasitoids were found on different hosts in Diyarbakır Province.Monoctonus mali is reported for the first time in the Turkish aphid parasitoids fauna.

Is the parasitization rate ofDiaeretiella rapae influenced whenBrevicoryne brassicae feeds onbrassica plants

The development time and parasitization rate ofDiaeretiella rapae (M’Intosh) onBrevicoryne brassicae (L.) feeding on differentBrassica cultivars was studied in the laboratory at 20°C. The shortest development time from egg to adult parasitoid was 11.6 days on cabbage cv. ‘Yalova 1’ and the longest was 12.1 days on turnip cv. ‘Antep’ and rapeseed cv. local variety. Females lived significantly longer than males on the host plants used in the study. Females and males had the shortest longevity on rapeseed at 11.1 and 5.1 days, respectively. The highest percent parasitism ofB. brassicae byD. rapae was found on cabbage (40.20%), and the lowest was recorded on turnip (32.64%). Our results demonstrate that parasitism rate could be influenced by the plant quality, probably due to the nutritional status of the aphids or to toxic compounds ingested through the plant. Cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli were found to be suitable plants for the parasitoid, considering the development time of pre-adults, and the parasitization rate ofD. rapae onB. brassicae.

Study on species composition of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius, 1889) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) on cotton in Çukurova plain, Turkey

The whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius, 1889) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is one of the most important pest species on cotton in the Çukurova Plain as well as in all cotton growing areas of Turkey. Although numerous studies on population dynamics, population development and parasitism were conducted on B. tabaci in the Çukurova Plain, there has been a few studies on the species complex of B. tabaci for this region. The aims of this study were to present genetic polymorphism and species composition of B. tabaci collected from cotton fields of Çukurova Plain of Turkey between 2006 and 2011 (except 2010). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products were generated from a mitochondrial gene, cytochrome oxidase I (COI), and a nuclear gene region (ITS1). PCR products were purified and sequenced. Maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian analyses were used to estimate trees. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) method was also applied to support results of sequence analysis and differentiating the MED and MEAM1 species of B. tabaci populations. From 51 sequences 38 of them were determined as B. tabaci MED species, and 13 of them were B. tabaci MEAM1. All samples collected in 2006 were placed in the B. tabaci MEAM1 clade with some samples collected in 2011. All PCR products were studied by RFLP method and we were able to differentiate MED and MEAM1 species of B. tabaci. MED species was determined as dominant on cotton in Çukurova Plain of Turkey.

Zeytinlerde potansiyel tehlike: Philaenus spumarius (Linnaeus) (Cercopidae) ve Auchenorrhyncha türleri (Hemiptera)

Philaenus spumarius (Linnaeus) (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Cercopidae), zeytinlerde hastalik olusturan Xylella fastidiosa bakterisini tasiyan onemli bir vektordur. Bu turun yani sira Cicadellidae, Cercopidae, Cicadidae ve Dictyopharidae (Auchenorrhyncha) familyasina bagli bazi bocek turlerinin de X. fastidiosa bakterisine vektorluk yaptigi bilinmektedir. X. fastidiosa, zeytinlerde hastalanmis agaclarin yapraklarinda yaniklik, surgunlerde ve dallarda geriye dogru olum meydana getirerek ani olumlerine neden olur. Cicadoidea ve Fulgoroidea (Auchenorrhyncha) ust familyalari agaclar, calimsi ve otsu bitkilerin ozsuyunu emerek beslenirler. Ayrica bazi turleri virus, fitoplazma ve bakteri gibi hastalik etmenlerinin vektorlugunu yaparak da ekonomik acidan onemli zarara neden olurlar. Bu calisma Adana, Hatay, Mersin, Osmaniye, Kahramanmaras, Gaziantep ve Kilis ili zeytin bahcelerinde 2008-2011 yillari arasinda Auchenorrhyncha turlerini belirlemek amaciyla yurutulmustur. Ornekler her ilin zeytin agac varliginin en az %0.01’den toplanmistir. Her bahcede bulunan agac sayisinin %5’inden ornekleme gerceklestirilmistir. Tesadufen secilen her bir agacin dort yonunden rastgele bir dalina uc defa vurularak Steiner hunisi, agiz aspiratoru ve gozle kontrol yontemiyle surgunlerde ve meyvelerde belirlenen ornekler toplanmistir. Daha sonra laboratuvara getirilen ornekler usulune uygun olarak teshise hazir hale getirilmistir. Calisma sonucunda, Cicadellidae (22), Cercopidae (4), Dictyopharidae (2) ve Cixiidae (2)’de olmak uzere dort familyadan toplam 30 tur belirlenmistir. Bu turler icerisinde P. spumarius (Cercopidae), Docotettix cornutus Ribaut, Empoasca sp. ve Asymmetrasca decedens (Paoli) (Cicadellidae) zeytin bahcelerinde en yaygin gorulen turlerdir. Ancak soz konusu turlerin ekonomik anlamda zarari tespit edilmemistir.

The adult population dynamics of the Carob moth [Ectomyelois ceratoniae Zell., 1839 (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)] in pomegranate orchards in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

This study was carried out in pomegranate orchards in the plains of Adana, Mersin and Osmaniye, the provinces of The East Mediterranean Region in 2008-2009. In this study, some criteria for the management strategy against Carob moth [Ectomyelois ceratoniae Zell., 1839 (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)], such as the first adult emergence, adult population dynamics, the periods the highest population densities and the determination of the duration when the adults are active were aimed. The adult population dynamics of E. ceratoniae observed with the pheromone traps. At the end of this study, it was determined that the adult of E. ceratoniae were caught by the pheromone traps firstly in the second half of april and first half of may. However, it was determined that E. ceratoniae population level in the areas mentioned above never reach the density being able to give damage In this study, it was determined that adult flying ended in november in both years, and were active nearly 6-7 months from april to november. Also, it was determined that E. ceratoniae wintered at different larvae stages especially in the pomegranate fruits remained on the tree or shed.

The Alydidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Coreoidea) of Turkey: a key to the genera, new records and a species checklist.

ABSTRACT: In this study, 110 adult Alydidae (Coreoidea) specimens belonging to 4 genera and 7 species were collected from 25 different localities in Anatolia in 2008–2009. These new records increased the number of Turkish Alydidae genera from 2 to 4 and species from 5 to 7. A key to the Alydidae genera of Turkey is provided. Megalotomus ornaticeps (Stål, 1858) and Namausus sordidatus (Stål, 1858) are recorded for the first time from Turkey, redescribed and their genitalia are illustrated.