Determination of the effect of yellow sticky traps on Agonoscena pistaciae (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) population density in pistachio orchards in Siirt, Turkiye

Abstract

Agonoscena pistaciae (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) is a significant pest in pistachio ( Pistacia vera L.) orchards in T & uuml;rkiye. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of yellow sticky traps as an alternative method for controlling A. pistaciae populations in pistachio orchards. Conducted in late September and early October of 2021 and 2022, during peak pest activity, the experiment was carried out in Siirt, with three replicates following a randomized block design. Five traps were hung on all sides of each tree for sampling. Repeated measures ANOVA (repeated measures; general linear model) was used to observe changes over time. The results indicated that yellow sticky traps were highly effective in mass trapping adults, capturing an average maximum of 12 332.67 adults per trap. A significant decrease in the number of nymphs and eggs on the leaves was observed in the yellow sticky trap-treated trees compared to the control plots by mid-October (P < 0.05). Specifically, the average number of nymphs per composite leaf dropped from 24.95 to 11.23 in 2021, and from 145.18 to 27.29 in 2022. Similarly, the average number of eggs per composite leaf decreased from 61.18 to 2.29 in 2021, and from 73.56 to 3.64 in 2022. These findings suggest that yellow sticky traps can significantly reduce psyllid populations in pistachio orchards over the long term and can be an effective control method when used early in the vegetative period for low- to medium-sized psyllid populations.