Bitki Koruma Bülteni / Plant Protection Bulletin, vol.60, no.3, pp.47-56, 2020 (Peer-Reviewed Journal)
Agonoscena pistaciae Burckhardt and Lauterer (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) is
widespread in many parts of the world and is an important pest that causes
economic losses in pistachio trees. In this study, the population development of
pistachio (Siirt variety) orchards in the province of Siirt and Tillo and Eruh districts
in 2017-2018 was monitored. By using random leaf samplings, yellow sticky traps
and Steiner funnel sampling, it was determined that the populations of nymphs,
adults and natural enemies showed almost similar fluctuations in all sampling
gardens in both years and were mostly located in the garden in Siirt province.
While the population density of the pest was very low in all three orchards
from spring to August, it reached the highest levels in the September-October
period, when the weather started to cool down, in a short period of time. In leaf
sampling, the pest’s nymph density reached an average of 188 nymphs/leaf
level in September (2018), and the adult population, which were caught yellow
sticky traps, reached an average of 15000 individuals on 11 October 2018. It was
determined that predator and parasitoid densities also showed a parallel fluctuation
with the pest densities. Parasitoid Psyllaephagus sp. on October 5 (2017) with 13
individuals found the highest levels while the coccinellid species were found at the
highest level with 154 individuals on September 13 (2018) in the garden in Siirt
province. As a result of the two-year study, it was determined that climate factors
(temperature and humidity) were quite effective on the density of the pest species
and natural enemies. In order to develop effective control programs (integrated
pest management) in Siirt pistachio orchards, the population density of the pest
species and their natural enemies must be constantly monitored.