Effect of parasitic entomophages in controlling plant lice pests in vegetable crops and their numbers

. The impact of pests and diseases on agricultural crops has been amplified due to global environmental changes, resulting in an estimated adverse effect of 1.4 trillion dollars, which is approximately 5% of the world's gross domestic product. Research was conducted on various species of parasitic entomophages, such as Aphidius matricaria Hal, Aphidius gifuensis Ashm, Lysiphlebus japonica Tokawa, Aphidius ervi Hal, Lysiphlebus fabarum Marsh, Lysiphlebus fritzmuelleri Mack, and Lysiphlebus testaceipes Creeson, to determine their efficacy in controlling plant lice. The biological efficiency of the parasite in Aphis craccivora was 52.5%. As well as Aphis gossypii Glow, Acyrthosiphon gossypii Glow. parasite infection of species was 42.1-38.4%. Praon volucre Hal parasite in Aphis craccivora was 49.6%. Aphis Gossypii Glow phytophage infestation was 56.3%, while Acyrthosiphon gossypii Glow plant aphid infestation with Praon volucre Hal was 42.4%.


Introduction
Global environmental changes have increased the impact of various pests and diseases on agricultural crops, leading to an estimated negative impact of 1.4 trillion dollars, which is equivalent to 5% of the global gross domestic product [1][2][3][4]. This highlights the urgent need to develop effective and scientifically-based control measures against pests in order to improve food security in agriculture [5][6][7]. One of the main strategies to combat agricultural pests is through the expansion of effective biological methods of protecting vegetable crops, such as the introduction of intensive methods of searching and production of effective entomophagous species [7][8][9].
In light of this, the agriculture industry is undergoing large-scale reforms, with a particular emphasis on the protection of agricultural crops from pests. Furthermore, the development and application of new technologies are critical due to the growing population and increased export demands [5][6][7][9][10][11]. Therefore, it is important to protect vegetable crops from pests and diseases using effective and environmentally-friendly methods, such as the improvement of beneficial insect cultivation and usage against pests that cause serious damage [4][5][6][7][8]11]. Several types of plant lice are prevalent in the country, including the policy bit (Aphis gossypii Glov), acacia or alfalfa louse (Aphis medicaginis Koch.), large cotton aphid (Aphis cyrthosiphon gossypii Mordv.), common grain aphid (Shizaphis graminium Rond), large grain aphid (Sitobion avenae Fabr), pear aphid (Dysaphis puri Bet F.), apple aphid (Aphis pomi Ded.), cabbage aphid (Brevicoryne brassicae L.), and other types of plant lice that cause significant damage [11][12][13].
Plant lice are insects that undergo metamorphosis and reproduce by giving birth to live larvae throughout the season, with the exception of the psyllid or cotton weevil, which only lay eggs during winter [9][10][11]. These pests can breed up to 22 times a year in open conditions, and the duration of one generation depends on the air temperature, ranging from 3 to 20 days. Female lice can produce up to 150 larvae in their lifetime, and they cause damage to vegetable crops from the germination period in spring until harvest in autumn by sucking sap from the plant, which weakens it and delays its growth [3][4][5][6][7]11]. The root weevil is particularly destructive to vegetable crops, causing damage from the grassy stage when the plants are putting out their first leaves. Plant lice are responsible for shedding of young combs, and their impact on agriculture is estimated at 5% globally, reaching up to 40% in certain regions [3][4][5][6].
Due to the significant economic impact of plant lice, many types of chemical pesticides have been used to reduce their damage. However, resistance to pesticides has become a serious issue, with over 500 types of phytophages and more than 100 types of weeds developing resistance to pesticides in 45 countries worldwide [4][5][6][7][8]. The use of chemical pesticides is also harmful to humans and warm-blooded animals, leading to poisoning and environmental pollution. Furthermore, the chronic use of the same pesticide leads to the emergence of resistance in pests, which increases the frequency and volume of pesticide treatments and consumption [3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. In order to address this issue, it is necessary to develop effective and environmentally friendly methods for protecting vegetable crops from plant lice. One approach is the use of biological control methods, such as the cultivation and deployment of beneficial insects that prey on plant lice. Significant research has been conducted on the species composition, morphology, biology, and systematics of plant lice, particularly in the 1960s. Understanding the life cycle and behavior of plant lice can help inform the development of effective control measures [3][4][5][6][7]. The damage caused by plant lice is more pronounced in the late summer months, and can lead to crop losses of up to 40%. Therefore, it is essential to develop improved methods for protecting vegetable crops from plant lice to ensure food security and sustainability in agriculture [5][6][7][8].
In the struggle to control aphids in vegetable crops, the use of biological agents such as the golden eye and predatory gallica have shown great promise. Extensive scientific research has been conducted on their breeding and laboratory utilization, as well as the identification of natural parasite species and their potential use in pest control [4][5][6][7]. However, relying solely on chemical methods for pest control has limitations, such as reduced efficacy over time, increased pesticide residue levels in products, and other negative consequences. As a result, developing environmentally friendly biological control measures for sucking pests in cultivated plants is of utmost importance [4][5][6]9]. In light of this, the primary objective of this study is to examine the species composition of sucking pests in commonly cultivated vegetable crops, assess the extent of damage they cause, and develop scientifically sound biological control methods to counteract these pests [5][6]. The research tasks include determining the bioecology of these pests, identifying the threshold number of economic liability, investigating parasitic entomophages, and determining the appropriate amounts needed for effective control. The main focus of this study is to evaluate the economic efficiency of using biological control tools to manage sucking pests [6][7][8][9].
A study was conducted in the vegetable fields of Buka district in the Tashkent region to analyze the species of plant lice and their parasites found in various tomato varieties, such as Gulikand, Bakhor F-1, Turon, and Subkhidam, from the leafing period to the ripening period [2][3][4][5]. Identifier was used to assist in the systematic analysis, and the field was monitored every 10 days with leaves and branches examined. The average number of aphids per leaf per plant was calculated, and samples were collected and analyzed to determine the species composition and compare the number of lice to plant lice [5][6][7][8][9]. The results were summarized, and the species commonly found in tomato agrocenosis were bred in laboratory conditions and applied to plant lice on tomato plants to obtain results.

Results and discussion
A study was conducted to determine the prevalence of three species of plant lice, namely Aphis craccivora Koch, Aphis gossypii, and Acyrthosiphon gossypii Glow, in tomato crops. The results indicated that the damage caused by plant lice was greater in tomato crops than in other crops. Among the three species, Acyrthosiphon gossypii was the most dominant and abundant in late-planted tomato crops. Additionally, 10 specialized parasitic entomophages were identified during the development of these phytophages in agrocenosis. Further analysis was conducted to determine the level of parasite species present in tomato agrobiocenosis, and it was found that Lysiphlebus fabarum Marsh., Praon volucre Hal., and Diaeretiella rapae M'Int. were the most common species observed (Fig. 1).  The text describes a study on the host species specialization of parasites that infect plant lice. The study found that Lysiphlebus fabarum was more commonly found in Aphis craccivora Koch, while it was less common in Aphis gossypii. On the other hand, the parasite Acyrthosiphon gossypii Glow was hardly observed in any of the species. Praon volucre was more commonly found in Aphis gossypii, and less commonly found in Aphis craccivora and Acyrthosiphon gossypii. The parasite Diaeretiella rapae was less common than the other parasites, but it was observed to infect Aphis craccivora in small numbers. The results are presented in Table 1 and Fig. 1. Table 1. Meeting of plant aphid parasites in tomato (Tashkent region, Buka district 2022).
Acyrthosiphon gossypii Glow . Infestation of plant lice with parasites was monitored for days. At the same time, the parasite-host ratio was also controlled ( Table 2).  It was found that Diaeretiella rapae parasite were slightly lower compared to other parasites. In this case, the level of infestation of Aphis craccivora with parasites was 36.3%. Aphis gossypii Glow type, infestation with the above parasite is 34.7%, Acyrthosiphon gossypii Glow. and in Bit, this indicator was 32.6%.

Conclusions
All three parasites investigated in the study were found to be effective in controlling the number of plant lice in tomato agrobiocenosis. Among these parasites, Lysiphlebus fabarum Marsh. and Praon volucre Hal. were particularly significant and exhibited good development under various environmental conditions found in tomato agrotechnology. However, the parasite Diaeretiella rapae M'Int showed lower development in the aforementioned aphid species despite being an effective pest of aphids.
Therefore, the use of Lysiphlebus fabarum Marsh. and Praon volucre Hal. in greenhouse or laboratory conditions can help maintain the number of plant lice at a harmless level in tomato agrocenosis. The study also examined the effect of plant lice on tomato crop yield. Several observations revealed that the number of aphids increased in August and September, mainly due to the Aphis gossypii Glow species, when the air temperature decreased.