Abstract
The black parlatoria, Parlatoria ziziphi, a common pest of citrus in the tropics and subtropics, has become the most important citrus pest in Upper Egypt. Spray oils may be a relatively safe alternative to harmful synthetic insecticides. However, the effect of spray oils on black parlatoria and associated parasitoids is unknown. Field studies were conducted in Giza, Egypt to assess the effect of two experimental spray oils on P. ziziphi and three associated parasitoid species on grapefruit (Citrus paradisi). Triona oil was more effective than Shecrona oil and reduced scale populations by up to 99% 75 days after application. The parasitoid Encarsia citrina was not affected significantly by either spray oil. Triona oil was slightly harmful to the other primary parasitoid, Habrolepis aspidioti and reduced parasitism rate by Marietta leopardina. However, because the latter species is a hyperparasitoid, the reduction in its number by Triona was beneficial. Triona application is therefore highly effective in controlling the black parlatoria and it reduced the rate of hyperparasitism by M. leopardina. The oils had only a minor negative impact and only on the less important primary parasitoid in the system.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abbott, W.S., 1925. A method for computing the effectiveness of an insecticide. J. Econ. Entomol. 18: 265–267.
Anon., 1964. Distribution maps of pests. Series A (Agric.), Map no. 186. Commonwealth Institute of Entomology, London.
Campbell, M.M., 1975. Duration of toxicity of residues of malathion and spray oil on citrus foliage in South Australia to adults of a California red scale parasite Aphytis melinus DeBach (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae). J. Aust. Ent. Soc. 14: 161–164.
Chang, L.C. and C.C. Tao, 1963. Black parlatoria, Parlatoria zizyphus (Lucas). J. Agr. Res. China 12: 34–47. (In Chinese).
Davidson, N.A., J.E. Dibble, M.L. Flint, P.J. Marer and A. Guye, 1991. Managing insects and mites with spray oils. Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California, Oakland, California, pub. 3347.
DeBach, P., 1951. The necessity for an ecological approach to pest control on citrus in California. J. Econ. Entomol. 44: 443–447.
Ebeling, W., 1959. Subtropical fruit pests. Division Agricultural Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, California.
Hardin, M.R., B. Benrey, M. Coll, W.O. Lamp, G.K. Roderick and P. Barbosa, 1995. Arthropod pest resurgence: an overview of potential mechanisms. Crop Prot. 14: 3–18.
Hassan, S.A., 1994. Activities of the IOBC/WPRS working group ‘Pesticides and Beneficial Organisms’. IOBC/WPRS Bull. 17(10): 1–5.
Ishaaya, I., Z. Mendel and D. Blumberg, 1992. Effect of Buprofezin on California red scale, Aonidiella aurantii (Maskell), in a citrus orchard. Isr. J. Entomol. 26: 67–71.
Ismail, M., 1989. The citrus insect pests of Egypt. Econ. Ser. 18: 98–106.
Krombein, K.V., P.D. Hurd and D.R. Smith, 1979. Catalog of Hymenoptera in America North of Mexico, Vol. 1. Smithsonian Institute Press, Washington, D.C.
Miller, D.R. and J.A. Davidson, 1990. A list of the armored scale insect pests. In: D. Rosen (ed), Armored scale insects, their biology, natural enemies and control, Elsevier Science Publishers, New York. pp. 299–306.
Quayle, H.J., 1938. Insects of citrus and other subtropical fruits. Comstock Publishing Company, Ithaca, New York.
Riehl, L.A., 1981. Fundamental consideration and current development in the production and use of petroleum oils. Proc. Int. Soc. Citriculture 2: 601–607.
Riehl, L.A., 1990. Control chemicals. In: D. Rosen (ed), Armored scale insects, their biology, natural enemies and control, Elsevier Science Publishers, New York. pp. 365–392.
Rosen, D., 1967. Effect of commercial pesticides on the fecundity and survival of Aphytis holoxanthus. Isr. J. Agric. Res. 17: 47–52.
SAS Institute, 1988. SAS/STAT user's guide, Ver. 6.03. SAS Institute Inc., Cary, North Carolina.
Swallium, A., 1980. Side effects of pesticides to beneficial insects. Suppl. Agric. Res. Rev. 58: 76–103.
Swirski, A. and A. Porat, 1969. Winter sprays of nerrow range oils for the control of the Florida wax scale. Alon Hanote'a 23: 535–543. (In Hebrew).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Coll, M., Abd-Rabou, S. Effect of oil emulsion sprays on parasitoids of the black parlatoria, Parlatoria ziziphi, in grapefruit. BioControl 43, 29–37 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009974330554
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009974330554