doi:10.14720/aas.2017.109.1.07 Original research article I izvirni znanstveni članek The effects of plant cover on population of pear psylla (Cacopsylla pyricola) and its predators Mohammad Saeed EMAMI1 Received July 17, 2016; accepted October 31, 2016. Delo je prispelo 17. julija 2016, sprejeto 31. oktobra 2016. ABSTRACT Cacopsylla pyricola (Förster, 1848) (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) is a serious pest of pear in all pear growing areas. In the scope of an integrated pest management, a two consecutive years study was carried out to determine the effects of plant cover on pear psyllid population and its predators. Two treatments including plant cover and bare ground were applied in a randomized complete block design with three replicates. The sampling of the pest and its predators were done weekly by beating technique and leaf sampling. The data were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results showed that plant cover had significant effect on the increase of predators on the trees (P < 0.001). The psyllid specialist predator, Anthocoris nemoralis (Fabricius, 1794), had the highest population among the pear psyllid predators (0.29 per sample). Plant cover had no significant effect on reducing the population of eggs, nymphs and adults of the pear psyllid. Despite the increase in the population of predators led by plant cover, lack of their effectiveness to reduce the pear psyllid population is discussed. Key words: Cacopsylla pyricola; pear; predator; plant cover IZVLEČEK VPLIVI VAROVALNIH RASTLIN NA POPULACIJO MALE HRUŠEVE BOLŠICE (Cacopsylla pyricola) IN NJENE PLENILCE Mala hruševa bolšica (Cacopsylla pyricola (Förster, 1848) (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) je pomemben škodljivec hrušk na vseh območjih njihove pridelave. V okviru integriranega zatiranja škodljivcev je bil v dveh zaporednih letih preučevan učinek poraslosti tal na populacijo navedene bolšice in njenih plenilcev. V popolnem naključnem bločnem poskusu s tremi ponovitvami sta bili preizkušani dve obravnavanji, in sicer vpliv golih in poraščenih tal. Vzorčenje škodljivcev in njihovih plenilcev je bilo opravljeno tedensko z metodama udarjanja vej in vzorčenja listov. Podatki so bili obdelani z analizo variance (ANOVA). Rezultati so pokazali, da je imel rastlinski pokrov značilni učinek na povečanje populacije plenilcev na drevesih (P < 0.001). Med vsemi plenilci male hruševe bolšice je bila vrsta Anthocoris nemoralis Fabricius, 1794, najbolj številčna (0,29 na vzorec). Poraščenost tal pa ni imela značilnega vpliva na zmanjšanje populacije jajčec, nimf in odraslih osebkov bolšice. V prispevku je analizirana neučinkovitost plenilcev na zmanjšanje populacije bolšic, kljub povečanju njihove populacije na zemljišču z zastrtimi tlemi z varovalnimi rastlinami. Ključne besede: Cacopsylla pyricola; hruška; plenilec; poraslost tal 1 INTRODUCTION The Pear psylla, Cacopsylla pyricola (Förster, 1848) (Hemiptera: Psyllidae), is a host specific pest of only pears and is present in all pear growing areas with considerable economic importance (Emami et al., 2014). The adults and nymphs suck the sap from the leaves and produce large, sticky drops of honeydew that can coat the tree and fruit. Psyllid feeding can cause the foliage to wilt and drop to the ground and fruit remains undersized. Prolonged infestations may kill the tree outright (Emami, 2014). Cover crops are widely used to reduce soil erosion by wind and water (Hargrove, 1991), produce organic matter, and reduce soil compaction and crusting and thus 1 Plant Protection Research Department, Isfahan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Isfahan, Iran. PO Box 81785-199. E-mail: mse1480@gmail.com Acta agriculturae Slovenica, 109 - 1, marec 2017 str. 125 - 134 Mohammad Saeed EMAMI improve water infiltration and in some cases moisture retention (Letourneau et al., 2009). Cover crops also influence pest management of arthropods, as reviewed by Bugg (1992) and Bugg and Waddington (1994). Cover crops can be categorized to resident vegetation, planting alternate strip and commercial 'insectary mixes' of plants (Bugg, 1991). Understory weeds or 'resident vegetation' become assets when managed as cover crops (Zandstra and Motooka, 1978). Weeds sometimes play an important role in pest management systems and when specific weeds are not present, biological control of certain insects is often impossible (Zandstra and Motooka, 1978). Wilde (1960) showed that clean orchard cultivation tended to reduce predator numbers and favor high psyllid populations, probably because of higher orchard temperatures and lower relative humidity than those found in orchards with plant cover. Pear psyllids are favored by hot, dry conditions and damage caused by them is particularly devastating when there are prolonged periods of dry weather (Cross et al., 2010). Orchards with ground covers may have higher populations of certain natural enemies, largely due to increased habitat and alternate food sources for beneficial insects and mites; they also may have fewer problems with pests and mites (Flint, 1998). Orchard systems contain high plant diversity and perennial multi-strata designs that provide wealthy resources and habitats to living communities such as beneficial organisms (Simon et al., 2010). Research has shown an exceptionally strong relationship between higher natural enemy diversity and herbivore suppression in agricultural systems (Letourneau et al., 2009). Fye (1983) reported that cover crops in commercial pear orchards led to the build-up of generalist predators including Nabis sp., Orius sp., Geocoris sp., Hippodamia convergens Guerin-Meneville, 1842, Coccinella transversoguttata richardsoni Brown, 1962, Chrysopa spp., Hemerobius sp., and spiders. Despite the increase in the abundance of predatory and parasitoid insects led by the use of plant covers, it is still uncertain whether this will translate into reduced pest densities. In the present study, an investigation was performed on the effects of plant cover on pear psyllid and its predators in pear orchards, to determine the effectiveness of this strategy in regulating pest populations. 2 MATERIALS AND METHODS 2.1 Site and plants Field studies were conducted in a 1-ha commercial pear orchard located at Isfahan, Iran, during the two consecutive years. The trees were 15-20 years old, Pyrus communis L. of the variety 'Shahmivea' which is the common pear variety in the study area. Plant cover was composed of a mix of resident weeds consisted of Lamb's quarters, Chenopodium album L. (~ 5 %), Liquorice, Glycyrrhiza glabra L. (~ 4 %), Purslane, Portulaca oleraceae L. (~ 3 %), Prickly lettuce, Lactuca scariola L. (~ 7 %), Sow thistle, Sonchus asper (L.) Hill. (~ 4 %), Dandelion, Taraxacum officinale Weber (~ 8 %), Wild carrot, Daucus sp. (~ 9 %), Plantain, Plantago major L. (~ 6 %), Couch grass, Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. (~ 4 %), Ground cherry, Physalis sp. (~ 4%), White Clover, Trifolium reprens L. (~ 19 %) and Alfalfa, Medicago sativa L. (~ 27 %). Change in the percentage of plants over the experimental area was about ± 1 %. Plant cover, represented by plant species that developed naturally for circa 10 years. 2.2 Experimental design Two treatments consisted of plant cover and bare ground were applied in a randomized complete block design with three replicates. Each replicate was 1600 m2 with 60 trees. Each treatment was randomly allocated in blocks. Between row of trees in bare ground treatment was kept free of vegetation by shallow tillage (10 cm deep). Tillage was repeated when the plant cover begin to emerge. In later treatment plant cover under the trees was removed by herbicide application. Management operations including fertilization, pruning and irrigation were applied similarly in treatments. A late-summer application of amitraz (Mitac) was made in both treatments to reduce densities of pear psylla and mites. 74 Acta agriculturae Slovenica, 109 - 1, marec 2017 The effects of plant cover on population of pear psylla (Cacopsylla pyricola) and its predators 2.3 Sampling Ten trees in each replicate were randomly selected at each sampling time. Pear psyllid adults and predators (larva/nymph and adult) of pear psyllid were sampled using the limb-jarring technique (Burts and Retan, 1973). A beat tray (45 x 45 cm) was covered with a white cloth, both to make the insect visible for counting and to act as substrate to which adult insect cling while they are being counted (Burts and Retan, 1973; McClure et al., 1982). Four limbs of a tree were randomly selected. The beat tray was held beneath the limb and it was rapped sharply three times with a section of stiff rubber hose (Horton et al., 2003). Dislodged adult psyllids and predators (adults and nymphs/larvae) which fell onto the tray were counted. Samples were taken in the morning when temperature was cool. Eggs and nymphs of psyllid were sampled by 20 randomly selected leaves per tree. The samples were separately placed into nylon labelled covers and taken to the laboratory in refrigerated containers. The upper and lower surface of the leaf was carefully examined using a stereomicroscope, where pear psyllid eggs and nymphs were counted and recorded.The sampling was initiated in early May and continued at weekly intervals until late September. 2.4 Data analyses Data were square root (x ± 0.5) transformed before analysis to standardize the variance. All data were subjected to a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to compare the effect of treatments on pear psyllid and its predators. The comparison of means was performed using Duncan's multiple range test (DMRT) (p < 0.05). Data were analyzed by using SAS statistical software version 9.1. (SAS Institute Inc., 2004). 3 RESULTS 3.1 Population of the developmental stages of the pear psyllid There was not a significant difference between treatments in the density of eggs, nymphs and adults of the pear psyllid (in the first year, egg: P = 0.16; nymph: P = 0.06; adult: P = 0.1; in the second year, egg: P = 0.58; nymph: P = 0.09; adult: P = 0.1,) (Fig. 1 and 2). a £ 01 a ^ u -Q £ 3 C C 2.5 - 2 - 1.5 1 - 0.5 - i Plant cover □ Bare ground Nymph Egg Adult Developmental stages Figure 1: Mean number of developmental stages of Cacopsylla pyricola in the first year Acta agriculturae Slovenica, 109 - 1, marec 2017 73 3 0 Mohammad Saeed EMAMI 2.5 .2 a. E re 0! ■Q E 1.5 0.5 El Plant cover □ Bare ground -i- Nymph Egg Adult Developmental stages Figure 2: Mean number of developmental stages of Cacopsyllapyricola in the second year 3.2 The population of predators The predators of pear psylla collected on beat tray over the duration of the study were eight species including Anthocoris nemorum Linnaeus, 1761. and A. nemoralis Fabricius, 1794 (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae), Hippodamia variegata Goeze, 1777, Oenopia conglobata Linnaeus, 1758, Coccinell septempunctata Linnaeus, 1758, Scymnus syriacus (Marseul, 1868) and Adalia bipunctata (Linnaeus, 1758) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens, 1836) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae). There was a significant difference between treatments in the density of the predators of the pear psyllid (in the first year: P < 0.001; in the second year: P < 0.001). The psyllid specialist predatory bug, A. nemoralis, had the highest density among the pear psyllid predators (Figure 3 and 4), but there was not a significant difference between treatments in its population density (in the first year: P = 0.06; in the second year: P = 0.09). The other predators were generalist predators which were not closely associated with this pest and had lower population than specialist predator, A. nemoralis (Figure 3 and 4). 0,30 i 0,25 >. 0,20 A 0 re ■o 01 a 0,15 - MO aj E 0,10 - 3 C a M 2 0,05 a s 0,00 □ Anthocoris nemoralis □ Chrysoperla carnea B Coccinell septempunctata ID Hippodamia variegata □ Oenopia conglobata □ Scymnus syriacus B Anthocoris nemorum 0 Adalia bipunctata Plant cover Bare ground Treatment Figure 3: Average number of the pear psyllid predators per sample in the first year 2 1 0 74 Acta agriculturae Slovenica, 109 - 1, marec 2017 The effects of plant cover on population of pear psylla (Cacopsylla pyricola) and its predators 0,35 0,30 0,25 ■S 0,20