POPULATION DYNAMICS OF Saissetia coffeae Walker (HOMOPTERA : COCCIDAE) AND ITS PARASITOIDS ON GUAVA IN MIDDLE EGYPT

Document Type : Research articles.

Author

Plant Protection Dept., Fac. of Agric, Fayoum Univ.

Abstract

Studies on the seasonal fluctuations of the population of
Saissetia coffeae Walker (Homoptera: Coccidae) and its
parasitoids were conducted in Beni-suif Governorate during the
period extending from May 2006 until April 2008. The parasitoid
species,
Coccophagus lycimnia Walker, Marietta leopardina
Motsch. Metaphycus helvolus Comp. and Scutellista cyanea
Motsch. were found associated with S. coffeae. The hemispherical
scale insect, were appeared either three or two periods of activity
(generation) during the first and second seasons, respectively. The
highest peak counts was observed during winter (December and
January). On the other hand, the parasitoids activity appeared in
three periods in both season in combination with those of the
insect pest. The climatic factors (max. & min. temp. and % R.H.)
affected insignificantly on the population of each insect pest and
the parasitoids, while the correlation between both populations
was significant in both season of study.


Keywords