The effect of augmentative releases of indigenous parasitoid, Anagyrus Kamali (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) on populations of Maconellicoccus Hirsutus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in Egypt

Abstract

The encyrtid parasitoid Anagyrus kamali Moursi (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) was mass reared and released at monthly intervals in grape orchards infested with Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) at two locations in Egypt. A total of about 300,000 adult individuals were augmentatively released from August 2001 – August 2002. Increases of the rate of parasitism were from 35 to 76 and from 28 to 68 in Beni-Suef and El-Minya, respectively. These results indicate that A. kamali is the effective parasitoid in controlling M. hirsutus on grapes in Egypt. It is concluded that the releases of parasitoid for control of M. hirsutus were suitable for control. However it is essential for a successful control program that this parasitoid should be continually reared and consecutively periodically released so as to attain the maximum benefit of biological control of this pest.

Keywords:

• Anagyrus kamali
• biological control
• Encyrtidae
• Maconellicoccus hirsutus
• Pseudococcidae