Loading...
Publication
Citrus aphids in Algarve Region (Portugal): Species, hosts, and biological control
| Name: | Description: | Size: | Format: | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.54 MB | Adobe PDF |
Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Aphids affect citrus by causing leaf deformations and reducing fruit production. Additionally, aphids are a great concern due to their ability to transmit Citrus tristeza virus (CTV), the cause of tristeza, one of the main citrus diseases. In the last four years, citrus orchards in the south
of Portugal (Algarve region) were sampled for aphid species identification and counting. Aphis
spiraecola was the most abundant species, representing more than 80% of all identified aphids, and
the damage (leaf deformation) it causes was directly proportional to its density. A. gossypii was the
second most common species, followed by A. aurantii and Macrosiphum euphorbiae. The number of
aphids in nymph stages was predominant over the adult stages (both wingless and winged) in all
species. A. citricidus, the most efficient CTV vector, was not detected. The largest populations of
A. spiraecola were observed in lemon and orange trees during spring (>100 individuals per shoot),
with great damage observed in orange, lemon, and mandarin trees. A. gossypii was observed mainly
in mandarin and tangor trees. There was a low activity of natural biological control agents, with
the parasitism of A. spiraecola by Lysiphlebus spp. and Binodoxys spp. ranging from 0.3 to 1.5%. The
numerical ratio ranged from 150 to 440 aphids per predator, and among these, syrphids were the
most abundant, followed by lacewings and coccinellids (Scymnus).
Description
Keywords
Aphis spiraecola A. gossypii A. aurantii A. citricidus Infestation Kumquat Grapefruit Parasitism Shoots Tangor
Citation
Paiva, P.E.B.; Neto, L.M.; Marques, N.T.; Duarte, B.Z.; Duarte, A.M. Citrus Aphids in Algarve Region (Portugal): Species, Hosts, and Biological Control. Ecologies 2024, 5, 101–115. https://doi.org/10.3390/ ecologies5010007
Publisher
MDPI