BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF THE CITRUS MEALYBUG, PLANOCOCCUS CITRI (HOMOPTERA: PSEUDOCOCCIDAE) INFESTING CITRUS TREES BY SUCCESSIVE RELEASING WITH DIFFERENT LEVELS OF THE GREEN LACEWING, CHRYSOPERLA CARNEA (NEUROPTERA: CHRYSOPIDAE)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Plant Protection Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Dokki, Giza, Egypt.

Abstract

The green lacewing, Chrysoperla carnea Steph (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) was successively released (with three levels), 5, 10 and 15 larvae/tree at late April, late May and late June 2006 and repeated in the same times during 2007 at Gharbia Governorate. During the first season (2006), the reduction percentages in the population of the citrus mealybug, Planococcus citri (Risso) increased gradually with elapse of time. The achieved average reductions in mealybug population were 66.08, 82.75 and 98.66% at the end of July for the three releasing levels, respectively in the first year (2006). However, the same trend was achieved in the second season (2007) and reduction percentages were 56.14, 80.86 and 93.92%, respectively. Statistical analysis revealed differences in responses to the three successive releasing levels of C. carnea for management P. citri during 2006 an 2007 seasons that proved no significant among the two seasons.
The present work has shown that C. carnea can use successfully as a biocontrol agent in an integrated program for controlling P. citri attacking citrus trees.

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics