New Records of Pest and Beneficial Insect Species Determined in Pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) Orchards in Türkiye

Abstract

This study was carried out in 2021-2022 to determine the harmful and beneficial insect species in pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) orchards in the Be & scedil;iri district of Batman province, which has important potential in pistachio production. To determine the insect species, the branch counting method, sexual attractant and visual traps, impact method, visual inspection and culturing methods were used. In this study, 23 harmful insect species belonging to 16 families in three orders and 23 beneficial insect species belonging to nine families in five orders were identified. Among the insect species identified, the following harmful species were found: Kermania pistaciella Amsel, Agonoscena pistaciae Burck. and Laut., Lepidosaphes pistaciae Arch, Psallus (Psallus) flavellus Stichel, Smaragdina scutellaris Lefevre, Pseudocoeliodes rubricus Gyllenhal, Ahasverus advena Waltl, Hylesinus vestitus Mulsant & Rey, Capnodis cariosa Pallas and Anapulvinaria pistaciae Bodenheimer; among the useful species, Chrysoperla carnea Step, Scymnus subvillosus Goeze, Stethorus gilvifrons Mulsant, Nephus nigricans Weise, Coccinella septempunctata L., Oenopia conglobata Lin., and Hippodamia variegata Goeze were considered important in terms of prevalence and density. Pistachio pests: Phloeosinus aubei Perris, Tychius pusillus Germar, Anthocomus equestris Fabricius, Ahasverus advena Waltl, Psallus (Psallus) flavellus Stichel, and Tingis (Tropidocheila) reticulata Herrich-Sch & auml;ffer, and benefical species: Centistidea (Paracentistidea) pistaciella van Achterberg & Mehrnejad, Microchelonus (Microchelonus) karakumicus Tobias (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), and Cremastus lineatus Gravenhorst (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) were the first recorded species of pistachio in T & uuml;rkiye. In addition, based on laboratory studies, adult Centistidea (Paracentistidea) pistaciella van Achterberg & Mehrnejad (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), Microchelonus (Microchelonus) karakumicus Tobias (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), and Cremastus lineatus Gravenhorst (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) parasitoid insects were obtained. The insect Cremastus lineatus Gravenhorst was identified for the first time as a pupa parasitoid of the Kermania pistacella species in T & uuml;rkiye, which causes significant damage to pistachio orchards.