[Edited_by_A._Ciancio,_C.N.R.,_Bari,_Italy_and_K.(Bookos.org)

CITRUS PEST MANAGEMENT IN ITALY
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S. petiolatus as a natural enemy of the Citrus leafminer in Florida it was decided not
to release it in the field (Lim & Hoy, 2005; Lim, Zappalà, & Hoy 2006). In Italy the
parasitoid has been detected for the first time on P. citrella in 1998 (Mineo et al.,
1998), performing interesting parasitism activity (Caleca, Lo Verde, Blando, & Lo
Verde, 1998). Further observations have shown its spontaneous diffusion in all
citrus orchards in Southern Italy (Viggiani, 2001). This record together with
Algerian (Schauff et al., 1998) and Jordanian ones (Mineo, 1999), reveals its
dispersal capability in Mediterranean citrus areas (Siscaro et al., 2000).
Figure 8. Semielacher petiolatus larva (left) and pupa (right). The leaf cuticle has been
removed to reveal the parasitoid instars.
As reported for C. phyllocnistoides, also for S. petiolatus accidental
immigration and establishment was observed in Portugal in 2003 where the
parasitoid is now very frequently present (Gomes da Silva et al., 2006). In 1999–
2000 S. petiolatus contribution to the total CLM biological control in Italy was
around 90% (Mineo & Mineo, 1999b; Conti et al., 2001). In summer 2001 the
eulophid was still the most efficient P. citrella parasitoid, showing an incidence on
the total parasitization activity near 80%. Nevertheless during fall of the same year,
the main biological control was also due to C. phyllocnistoides. In the following
years the role of this last species greatly increased (up to 60%) being still more
active in the final part of the CLM infestation season (September–October), while S.
petiolatus is mainly active in early summer.
Several indigenous Hymenoptera parasitoids belonging to the family Eulophidae
have been obtained from samples collected in Italian citrus groves infested by
P. citrella. The main species were Cirrospilus pictus (Nees) and Pnigalio agraules
(Walker) and, as observed in other Mediterranean citrus growing areas (Garrido