نشریه نامه انجمن حشره شناسی ایران
سال چهل و دوم شماره 2 (پیاپی 90، تابستان 1401)

Eurytoma amygdali Enderlein is one of the most important pests of almond trees in Iran. In this investigation, seven new and commercial almond varieties and genotypes were evaluated in East Azarbaijan province. The results showed that there was a significant difference among the different varieties of almonds (P<0.01) in terms of infestation percentage of almond fruits. Azar and Shokoofeh varieties and genotype ALC721 with an average of more than 50% infestation had the highest infestation percentage among the tested varieties, whereas Ferragnes, Sahand, A200 and Eskandar with less than 10% infestation had the lowest infestation percentage to this pest. study the number of wasp stings in the antixenosis test showed that Azar variety with an average of 2.07±0.96 had the highest wasp stings, whereas Sahand and Ferragness (with the mean of 0.61±0.43 and 0.60±0.51, respectively) had the lowest wasp stings. The highest percentage of fallen fruits due to wasp stings were observed in Azar, Shokoofeh, Eskandar, Ferragnes and ALC721 with an average of more than 35% and the lowest percentage of fallen fruits observed in A200 and Sahand with an average of less than 10%. The results of olfactory test showed that the highest number of female wasps was attracted to Eskandar, Azar, ALC721 and Shokoofeh varieties, whereas the lowest was attracted to Sahand and Ferragnes varieties. In general, the results of this study showed that Azar and Shokoofeh varieties and genotype ALC721 were the most susceptible varieties to almond seed wasp among the studied varieties. Ferragnes and Eskandar varieties, despite the high percentage of fruit drop due to wasp stings, had a low infestation percentage of almond fruits at the end of the season. Sahand and A200 varieties with the lowest percentage of fruit drop due to wasp stings and also the lowest infestation percentage of almond fruits at the end of the season were the most resistant varieties to the almond seed wasp.

The Mediteranean flour moth, Ephestia kuehniella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) is one of the pests of stored products in many areas of the world. The eggs and larvae of E. kuehniella are widely used to rearing parasitoids and predators for biological control programs. In current research, the effects of various maize hybrids flour including KSC 201, KSC 260, KSC 400, KSC 410, SC 705 and SC 706 on the life history variables of E. kuehniella was studied. Also, physical (humidity and hardiness index) and biochemical (protein and starch contents) characteristics of the tested hybrids were assessed in order to understand any possible correlation between important demographic parameters with biochemical and physical features of maize hybrids. Results showed that different hybrids have significant effects on the life history and demographical parameters of E. kuehniella. The longest development time was observed on SC 706 hybrid (54.54 d) and the shortest was on KSC 410 hybrid (52.52 d). The highest fecundity was on KSC 410 hybrid (210.58 egg), while the lowest one was detected on KSC 201 (163.16 egg) and SC 706 (157.83 egg) hybrids. Also, the lowest highest intrinsic rate of increase was observed on SC 706 hybrid (0.065 day-1) and the highest was on KSC 410 hybrid (0.081 day-1). In this study, significant variations in physical traits and biochemical metabolites were observed between the various hybrid. Moreover, significant positive correlation between fecundity, net reproductive rate and intrinsic rate of increase variables plus starch contents of various hosts were found. The results indicated that KSC 410 hybrid was suitable host for mass rearing of E. kuehniella.

The European tarnished plant bug, Lygus rugulipennis Poppius (Hemiptera: Miridae), is one of the most important alfalfa pests in many parts of the world. The biology and life table parameters of L. rugulipennis were investigated at five constant temperatures (25, 27.5, 30, 32.5, and 35 °C) under conditions of 60±5% RH and a photoperiod of 16L:8D h. The pest failed to development at 35 °C. The longest and shortest nymphal development periods were obtained at 27.5 °C (13.81 days) and 32.5 °C (8.08 days), respectively. The female adult longevity of L. rugulipennis at temperatures of 25, 27.5, 30, and 32.5 °C were evaluated 24.06, 20.96, 19.05, and 10.75 days, respectively. The intrinsic rate of increase (r), net reproduction rate (R0), finite rate of increase (λ), mean generation time (T), and doubling time (DT) of L. rugulipennis at temperatures of 25, 27.5, 30, and 32.5 °C were estimated 0.1028, 0.1045, 0.0923, and 0.0662 day-1, 23.92, 15.77, 12.37, and 4.60 female offspring/female, 1.105, 1.110, 1.097, and 1.069 day-1, 30.89, 25.90, 26.27, and 23.19 days, and 6.74, 6.65, 7.46, and 10.19 days, respectively. According to the results, the range of 25 to 27.5 °C is considered as an optimal temperature; in contrast, the 32.5°C is a destructive temperature to develop L. rugulipennis. The current results can be used in the forecasting and integrated management programs of L. rugulipennis.

Considering the high damage caused by the tomato leaf miner moth, Tuta abosulata, in tomato crops, the use of chemical pesticides against this pest is increasing and finding alternative methods that can be combined with chemical control can be effective in the optimal management of this pest. One of these methods is establishing induced resistance in tomato plants by using seed priming before planting. Considering the key role of methyl jasmonate in creating induced resistance in plants, in the present study, tomato seeds (var: Elite) were soaked 24 hours before planting using two concentrations of 0.1 and 0.2 mM methyl jasmonate. Then, in the flowering stage of tomato, the biological and demographic parameters of tomato leaf miner moth were investigated using the age-stage two-sex life table. The results showed that seed priming affected the population parameters including Od, F, r and λ in the flowering stage and their value was lower than the control, also these treatments had a smaller population and the length of their larval period was longer than the control. The prediction of the population progress under seed treatment with methyl jasmonate, during 120 days, showed that all four life stages of the insect will have a smaller population than the control on day 120, which hints the negative effect of the treatments on biological and population characteristics of the herbivore and indicates the induction of resistance on the host plant. As a result, methyl jasmonate can be consider in the integrated management programs of tomato leaf miner moth by plant resistance mechanisms

Alpha-cypermethrin+Teflubenzuron (Imunit®) is an insecticide that is recommended by Iran Plant Protection Organization (IPPO) for the control of the cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera Hübner) in tomato fields. In this research, the effect of Imunit® was assessed on survival rate of adult worker honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) in laboratory conditions. Newly emerged (≤24-h old) and forager (>21-day old) bees were treated with the field recommended dose of this insecticide via three types of exposure (residual contact, oral, or spray). In addition, the sublethal effects of Imunit® on the specific activity of some detoxifying enzymes including α-esterase, β-esterase, and Glutathione S-transferase (GST) was studied. The toxicological tests illustrated that the toxicity of Imunit® varies with age of the bee and the type of exposure. Except for the spray method, forager bees were more susceptible than newly emerged ones to this insecticide. Imunit® was significantly more toxic to newly emerged bees when applied as residual contact and spray than orally, whereas foragers showed more sensitivity after contact exposure to the residues of this insecticide. Activity of the detoxifying enzymes also changed regarding the bees' age and the means of exposure to Imunit®. In general, our findings demonstrate the high potential of Imunit® in the intoxication of honey bees.

In recent years, the utilization of biocontrol agents for agriculture pests has received more attention, which has led to a growth in companies producing biocontrol agents, including predators and parasites. One of the phenomena that should be taken into consideration in the evaluation of the efficiency and selection of natural enemies is the predation rate and the effects of temperature on this characteristic of predators. As part of predatory communities in the greenhouse, Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot is currently used worldwide as a biological control agent against small insects and various mites, particularly to suppress the population of the two-spotted spider mite (TSSM), Tetranychus urticae Koch is used. To improve the mass rearing of this species and optimize its use in integrated pest management, in this research, the predation capacity of this mite was investigated in the control of the two-spotted spider mite at three constant temperatures 17, 22, and 27(±1)°C, 70-80% RH and a photoperiod of 16:8 (L: D) h in the laboratory. In this study, adult mites were used and each adult mite was fed with a certain number of adult mites. The transformation rate from prey population to predator offspring (Qp) on TSSM at temperatures of 17, 22, and 27 were calculated as 7.71, 10.12, and 8.47 respectively, which indicates the upper limit of controlling this pest at 22°C. According to the results of the present research, these species can have effective control of the two-spotted spider mite in a wide temperature range, and this can be considered in their release in the greenhouse.

Greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum is one of the most important pests of greenhouse crops throughout the world. In this research, biology and life table parameters of this pest were studied on eggplant, cucumber and tomato plants at 25±2 oC, 65±10% RH and a photoperiod of 16:8 h(L:D) based on age-stage, two-sex life table procedure. The means were estimated using Bootstrap method with 100000 replicates. Based on the obtained results, there was a significant difference between the average of all biological parameters of the pest and the average of all the pest population growth parameters on the three host plants. Results showed that, pre-adult developmental time of the pest were 21.87±0.17, 23.34±0.19 and 2 5.37±0.15 days; female longevity were 32.96±1.24, 28.76±1.4 and 25.21±0.92 days; and female fecundity were estimated to be 233.93±8.2, 156.73±5.01 and 129.39±4.66 egg/female on eggplant, cucumber and tomato plants, respectively. Intrinsic rate of increase(r) and net reproduction rate (R0) of the pest on three mentioned plants were 0.144±0.005, 0.128±0.005 and 0.118±0.005 (d-1), and 108.90±15.76, 68.96±9.22 and 57.35±8.53 (female/female/generation), respectively. Overall, in this study eggplant in compared with two other plants, was more appropriate host plant for developing and increase of the greenhouse whitefly population.