Journal of Pest Science (2007) 80, 125-130

Belén Lumbierres, Petr Starý and Xavier Pons (2007)
Seasonal parasitism of cereal aphids in a Mediterranean arable crop system
Journal of Pest Science 80 (2), 125-130
Abstract: We monitored winter cereal fields in a Mediterranean arable crop system to obtain information about the aphid parasitoid species composition and the aphid-parasitoid interactions through the whole cropping cycle. Nine species of aphid primary parasitoids (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Aphidiinae) were identified. The most abundant species were Aphidius rhopalosiphi, Aphidius matricariae, Aphidius ervi and Lysiphlebus testaceipes. The genus Aphelinus sp. (Hym., Aphelinidae) was also identified. We determined seasonal host-parasitoid associations over the entire cereal crop cycle. A number of new such associations were recorded, which were previously unknown in Spain and Europe. Our results indicated broad associations of L. testaceipes and A. matricariae with cereal aphids; furthermore, the association of Aphelinus sp. with several cereal aphid species was also substantial. In the NE of the Iberian Peninsula, the cereal aphid parasitoids that we identified are able to develop throughout the crop season on one or more host species. Thus, the main aphid species can be parasitized effectively throughout the entire cereal crop cycle. We discuss the role of cereal aphid parasitoids in the region in the context of our experimental results.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Petr Stary, Xavier Pons

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
surveys/distribution/isolation

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
Aphidius rhopalosiphi (parasitoid)			Spain (continental)
Lysiphlebus testaceipes (parasitoid)			Spain (continental)
Aphidius matricariae (parasitoid)			Spain (continental)
Aphidius ervi (parasitoid)			Spain (continental)