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

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F. KARAMAOUNA ET AL.
(Ashmead) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), Ceroplastes rusci L (Hemiptera: Coccidae),
the Mediterranean black scale Saissetia oleae (Bernard) (Hemiptera: Coccidae) and
Tetranychidae and Eriophyiidae mites are recorded at small (local) scale. The
citrus leafminer Phyllocnistis citrella (Stainton) (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) and
the citrus infesting aphids and thrips are of minor importance (Hellenic Ministry of
Rural Development and Food and Regional Plant Protection Services, 2007,
unpublished data).
2. PEST STATUS AND CONTROL MEASURES
An idea for the present status of the citrus arthropod pests in the citrus-producing
areas of Greece can be obtained from an empirical risk assessment of the Hellenic
Ministry of Rural Development and Food, which is based on data from the
Regional Plant Protection Services of the Ministry (2007). A rank scale from 1 to 3
is used (1 being the most serious pest to 3 being the less serious one) so that the
citrus arthropod pest status is as follows: the Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis
capitata (1–2); the California red scale Aonidiella aurantii (1–3); the mealybug
Planococcus citri (1–3); the woolly whitefly Aleurothrixus floccosus (1–3); the
citrus whitefly Dialeurodes citri (Ashmead) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) (1) locally
on the island of Crete; Ceroplastes rusci (1) locally in Argolis-Peloponnese; the
Mediterranean black scale Saissetia oleae (1) locally in Argolis; the Tetranychidae
mites Panonychus citri and Tetranychus urticae (1–3) locally in Peloponnese; the
Eriophyiidae mites Aculops pelekassi and Aceria sheldoni (1–3) locally in Argolis–
Peloponnese and the western mainland; the citrus flower moth Prays citri Milliére
(Lepidoptera: Hyponomeutidae) (2); the purple scale Lepidosaphes beckii
(Newman) (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) (2) locally in Argolis; the rose tortrix moth
Archips rosanus (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) locally in Argolis; the citrus leafminer
Phyllocnistis citrella (2–3); Citrus infesting aphids (2–3) and thrips (3) locally in
Achaia-Peloponnese (Hellenic Ministry of Rural Development and Food and
Regional Plant Protection Services, 2007, unpublished data).
A forecasting/warning system concerning infestation by the main insect pests of
the most important crops in the country, including Citrus, operates by the Regional
Plant Protection Services of the Hellenic Ministry of Rural Development and Food.
Forecasting of infestation is based on meteorological data, monitoring by trapping
or sampling, historical and other data sources (literature, agronomists/consultants/
farmers files). Instructions for preventive plant protection measures are provided to
the citrus growers when there is an issue of warning (Table 1).
A review of the problems and the control measures for the main citrus arthropod
pests in Greece i.e. the Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata, scale insects
(especially A. aurantii and P. citri), whiteflies (especially A. floccossus), the citrus
leafminer P. citrella, aphids, the citrus flower moth P. citri, thrips and mites will
be presented in the following sections.