Determination of the Emergence Time and Sex Ratio of the Almond Seed Wasp (Eurytoma amygdali Enderlein [Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae]) in Different Almond Cultivars in Eğil District, Diyarbakır Province (Türkiye)

Abstract

This study was conducted in 2023 and 2024 in four orchards in the Dere and Yeni & scedil;ehir neighbourhoods of E & gbreve;il District, Diyarbak & imath;r Province (T & uuml;rkiye), to determine the adult emergence time and sex ratio of emerging individuals of the almond seed wasp (Eurytoma amygdali Enderlein [Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae]) in different almond cultivars (local 'Ta & scedil;' almond, 'Ferragnes', and 'Ferraduel'). To monitor adult emergence, wire cages measuring 30 & times; 35 & times; 30 cm were hung on almond trees, and 100 mummified almond fruits infested with E. amygdali were placed in each cage. In 2023, the first adult emergence occurred on 16 April in the 'Ferragnes'-'Ferraduel' orchard, when the fruits were at the lentil-sized green-drupe stage; emergence lasted 16-25 days, with the last emergence on 10 May, a mean temperature of 14.8 degrees C, and a mean relative humidity of 57.4%. In 2024, the first emergence occurred simultaneously in three orchards on 11 April; emergence lasted 16-19 days, ending on 29 April, with a mean temperature of 18.0 degrees C and a mean relative humidity of 55.0%. In both years, the first emerging individuals were predominantly male; however, the total number of emerging females was 2.10 times that of males. The results suggest that emergence timing is more closely associated with climatic conditions than with cultivar phenology, which is important for scheduling chemical control. This study provides the first 2-year comparison of E. amygdali emergence phenology and sex ratio among contrasting almond cultivars in southeastern T & uuml;rkiye, offering practical information for optimizing monitoring and insecticide application timing.