Biological Control of Insect Pests: Southeast Asian Prospects - EcoPort

306 Biological Control of Insect Pests: Southeast Asian Prospects
USSR
persisted for only 20 weeks (Summy et al. 1986). The coccinellid Diomus
pumilio, whose biology is described, was introduced from South Australia
and is a potentially valuable predator (Meyerdirk 1983).
P. citri can be a serious pest of grape vines, citrus, fig and pomegranate.
Anagyrus pseudococci from Surkham Dalya and Leptomastix dactylopii and
Leptomastidea abnormis from California were introduced to Uzbekistan
commencing in 1959 and resulted in establishment (Roxanova and Loseva
1963). Anagyrus pseudococci destroys up to 75% of P. citri in areas not
treated with insecticides in the south of European Russia and in Soviet
Central Asia. The next most important parasitoid, Allotropa mecrida
attacked up to 20% in Turkmenia in 1967 and in Georgia. In 1960,
Leptomastidea abnormis and Leptomastix dactylopii were introduced from
USA into Georgia and Turkmenia. In Transcaucasia and Soviet Central Asia
the hyperparasitoid Thysanus subaeneus attacks 18 to 20% of Allotropa
mecrida. Other hyperparasitoids are Pachyneuron solitarius and
Neoprochiloneurus bolivari.
One of the most effective predators of P. citri is Cryptolaemus
montrouzieri, introduced from Egypt in 1932 to the Black Sea area. Others
are Coccinella septempunctata, Hyperaspis polita, Nephus bipunctatus,
Scymnus apetzi, S. subvillosus, and S. biguttatus which were recorded in
Turkmenia. The larvae of the fly Leucopis alticeps and of the lacewing
Chrysoperla carnea are able to devastate all stages of P. citri. The
coccinellids were parasitised by Homalotylus sp. and the lacewing by
Telenomus acrobates (Niyazov 1969).
The coccinellid Nephus reunioni was introduced into southern areas in
1978 and has reduced P. citri on grape vines. It is capable of overwintering,
but with high mortality, and is more tolerant of moisture conditions than
Cryptolaemus montrouzieri (Orlinskii et al. 1989).