Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Encapsulation rates of the parasitoid Anagyrus sp. nr. pseudococci, by three mealybug species (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)

  • Published:
Phytoparasitica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Laboratory studies assessing the degree of suitability of the mealybugs Planococcus ficus (Signoret), Planococcus citri (Risso) and Pseudococcus calceolariae (Maskell), towards the Sicilian ecotype of the encyrtid parasitoid Anagyrus sp. nr. pseudococci were carried out. All three species of mealybugs were shown to encapsulate the eggs of the encyrtid; however, significant differences were revealed among them in rates of encapsulation and/or superparasitism. The level of aggregate encapsulation and effective encapsulation of the parasitoid eggs by P. citri (74.95 ± 0.87 and 60.19 ± 1.70, respectively) was significantly higher than that recorded for P. ficus (aggregate encapsulation = 58.43 ± 0.83 and effective encapsulation = 31.31 ± 1.55) and significantly lower than the values found in Ps. calceolariae (93.99 ± 0.97 and 88.61 ± 2.03, respectively). As such, rates of parasitism were significantly lower for P. ficus compared with both P. citri and Ps. calceolariae. The two latter species of mealybugs showed similar rates of parasitism by A. sp. nr. pseudococci. Moreover, a significantly higher rate of superparasitism was found for Ps. calceolariae compared with both P. citri and P. ficus, whereas no significant differences were found between the two species of Planococcus for this parameter.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bartlett, B. R. (1978). Pseudococcidae. In C. P. Clausen (Ed.), Introduced parasites and predators of arthropod pests and weeds: A world review (pp. 137–170). Washington, DC: Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bertin, S., Cavalieri, V., Graziano, C., & Bosco, D. (2010). Survey of mealybug (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) vectors of Ampelovirus and Vitivirus in vineyards of northwestern Italy. Phytoparasitica, 38, 401–409.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blumberg, D. (1990). Host resistance: Encapsulation of parasites. In D. Rosen (Ed.), The armored scale insects, their biology, natural enemies and control (Vol. B, pp. 221–228). Amsterdam, the Netherlands: Elsevier Science Publishers BV.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blumberg, D. (1997). Parasitoid encapsulation as a defense mechanism in the Coccoidea (Homoptera) and its importance in biological control. Biological Control, 8, 225–236.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blumberg, D., Franco, J. C., Suma, P., Russo, A., & Mendel, Z. (2001). Parasitoid encapsulation in mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) as affected by the host–parasitoid association and superparasitism. Bollettino di Zoologia Agraria e di Bachicoltura, 33, 385–395.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blumberg, D., Klein, M., & Mendel, Z. (1995). Response by encapsulation of four mealybug species (Homoptera, Pseudococcidae) to parasitization by Anagyrus pseudococci. Phytoparasitica, 23, 157–163.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blumberg, D., & Van Driesche, R. G. (2001). Encapsulation rates of three Encyrtid parasitoids by three mealybug species (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae) found commonly as pests in commercial greenhouses. Biological Control, 22, 191–199.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cabaleiro, C., & Segura, A. (1997). Field transmission of grapevine leafroll associated virus 3 (GLRaV-3) by the mealybug Planococcus citri. Plant Disease, 81, 283–287.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chong, J. H., & Oetting, R. D. (2007). Specificity of Anagyrus sp. nov. nr. sinope and Leptomastix dactylopii for six mealybug species. Biocontrol, 52, 289–308.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Compere, H. (1939). Mealybugs and their insect enemies in South America. University of California Publications in Entomology, 7, 57–73.

    Google Scholar 

  • Daane, K. M., Bentley, W. J., Walton, V. M., Malakar-Kuenen, R., Yokota, G. Y., Millar, J. G., et al. (2006). New controls investigated for vine mealybug. California Agriculture, 60, 31–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dalla Montà, L., Duso, C., & Malagnini, V. (2001). Current status of scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) in the Italian vineyards. Bollettino di Zoologia Agrararia e Bachicoltura, 33, 343–350.

    Google Scholar 

  • Driesche, R. G., Bellotti, A., Herrera, C. J., & Castillo, J. A. (1986). Encapsulation rates of two encyrtid parasitoids by two Phenacoccus spp. of cassava mealybugs in Colombia. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, 42, 79–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Franco, J. C., Silva, E. B., Cortegano, E., Campos, L., Branco, M., Zada, A., et al. (2008). Kairomonal response of the parasitoid Anagyrus spec. nov. near pseudococci to the sex pheromone of the vine mealybug. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, 126, 122–130.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Franco, J. C., Silva, E. B., Fortuna, T., Cortegano, E., Branco, M., Suma, P., et al. (2011). Vine mealybug sex pheromone increases citrus mealybug parasitism by Anagyrus sp. near pseudococci (Girault). Biological Control, 58, 230–238.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Franco, J. C., Suma, P., Silva, E. B., Blumberg, D., & Mendel, Z. (2004). Management strategies of mealybug pests of citrus in Mediterranean countries. Phytoparasitica, 32, 507–522.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Güleç, G., Kilinçer, A. N., Kaydan, M. B., & Ülgentürk, S. (2007). Some biological interactions between the parasitoid Anagyrus pseudococci (Girault) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) and its host Planococcus ficus (Signoret) (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Pseudococcidae). Journal of Pest Science, 80, 43–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • La Torre, I., Suma, P., & Russo, A. (2009). Sulla presenza di Anagyrus sp. nov. near pseudococci in Sicilia. Atti Congresso Nazionale Italiano di Entomologia, 22, 341.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mansour, R., Mazzeo, G., La Pergola, A., Grissa Lebdi, K., & Russo, A. (2011). A survey of scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) and tending ants in Tunisian vineyards. Journal of Plant Protection Research, 51, 197–203.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mills, N. J., & Wajnberg, E. (2008). Optimal foraging behavior and efficient biological control methods. In E. Wajnberg, C. Bernstein, & J. van Alphen (Eds.), Behavioral ecology of insect parasitoids—from theoretical approaches to field applications (pp. 3–30). Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

    Google Scholar 

  • Noyes, J. S. (2010). Universal Chalcidoidea Database. http://www.nhm.ac.uk/chalcidoids.

  • Noyes, J. S., & Hayat, M. (1994). Oriental mealybug parasitoids of the Anagyrini (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae). Wallingford, UK: CABI.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pellizzari, G., & Germain, G. F. (2010). Scales (Hemiptera, Superfamily Coccoidea). Chapter 9.3. BioRisk, 4, 475–510.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Petersen, C. L., & Charles, J. G. (1997). Transmission of grapevine leafroll-associated closteroviruses by Pseudococcus longispinus and P. calceolariae. Plant Pathology, 46, 509–515.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sagarra, L. A., Peterkin, D. D., Vincent, C., & Stewart, R. K. (2000). Immune response of the hibiscus mealybug, Maconellicoccus hirsutus Green (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae), to oviposition of the parasitoid Anagyrus kamali Moursi (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae). Journal of Insect Physiology, 46, 647–653.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sforza, R., Boudon-Padieu, E., & Greif, C. (2003). New mealybug species vectoring grapevine leafroll-associated viruses-1 and −3 (GLRaV-1 and −3). European Journal of Plant Pathology, 109, 975–981.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • StatSoft Inc. (2003). Statistica (data analysis software system) version 6. Tulsa, OK, USA: StatSoft, Inc. http://www.statsoft.com.

    Google Scholar 

  • Trjapitzin, S. V., & Trjapitzin, V. A. (1999). Parasites of mealybugs (Homoptera, Pseudococcidae) on cultivated grapes in Argentina, with description of a new species of the genus Aenasius Walker (Hymenoptera, Encyrtidae). Entomological Review, 79, 386–390.

    Google Scholar 

  • Triapitsyn, S. V., Gonzáles, D., Vickerman, D. B., Noyes, J. S., & White, E. B. (2007). Morphological, biological and molecular comparisons among the different geographical populations of Anagyrus pseudococci (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), with notes on Anagyrus dactylopii. Biological Control, 41, 14–24.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wajnberg, E., & Ris, N. (2009). Parasitism and biological control. In F. Thomas, J.-F. Guégan, & F. Renaud (Eds.), Ecology and evolution of parasitism (pp. 107–127). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wakgari, W. M., & Giliomee, J. H. (2003). Natural enemies of three mealybug species (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) found on citrus and effects of some insecticides on the mealybug parasitoid Coccidoxenoides peregrinus (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) in South Africa. Bulletin of Entomological Research, 93, 243–254.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Walton, V. M., Krüger, K., Saccaggi, D. L., & Millar, I. M. (2009). A survey of scale insects (Sternorryncha: Coccoidea) occurring on table grapes in South Africa. Journal of Insect Science, 9, 47.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams, D. J. (1985). Australian mealybugs. Publication 953, British Museum (Natural History), London, UK.

Download references

Acknowledgments

Our thanks are expressed to three anonymous reviewers for their comments and suggestions on an earlier version of the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Gestione dei Sistemi Agroalimentari e Ambientali—Sez. Entomologia Agraria, Università degli Studi di Catania, 100 – 95123, Catania, Italy

    Pompeo Suma, Ramzi Mansour, Agatino Russo & Ivan La Torre

  2. Centro de Estudos Florestais, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, 1349-017, Lisbon, Portugal

    Abdalbaset Abusalah Ali Bugila & José Carlos Franco

Authors
  1. Pompeo Suma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ramzi Mansour
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Agatino Russo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ivan La Torre
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Abdalbaset Abusalah Ali Bugila
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. José Carlos Franco
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pompeo Suma.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Suma, P., Mansour, R., Russo, A. et al. Encapsulation rates of the parasitoid Anagyrus sp. nr. pseudococci, by three mealybug species (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae). Phytoparasitica 40, 11–16 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12600-011-0199-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12600-011-0199-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation