SOME ECOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF TWO WHITEFLY SPECIES INFESTING ARABIAN JASMINE SHRUBS IN EGYPT (HEMIPTERA: STERNORRHYNCHA: ALEYRODI

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Plant Protection Department, Fac. of Agric., Ain Shams Univ., Shoubra El-Kheima Cairo, Egypt

Abstract

Two whitefly species, Aleurotuberculatus jasmini Takahashi and Dialeurodes
kirkaldyi (Kotinsky) were found infesting Arabian jasmine shrubs, Jasminium
sambac at the Botanic Garden of Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University,
Shoubra, Qalyubiya, Egypt. To obtain basic ecological data for both species,
samples of Arabian jasmine leaves were conducted every ten-day intervals
throughout one complete year (January to December 2004). Seasonal fluctuations of
alive total population, nymphs and adults (empty exuviae) of the both species
indicated that the D. kirkaldyi was more dominant one than A. jasmini throughout
the tested year. Three periods of seasonal abundance for both species were
established. Three annual field generations were estimated for D. kirkaldyi, which
lasted 170, 90 and 100 days, respectively. While A. jasmini passed throughout five
annual field generations, which lasted 80, 80, 70, 60 and 70 days, respectively. The
effects of nine ecological factors (7 physical +2 biotic) on the population dynamics
of alive nymphs population for both species were estimated. Each factor gave
variable effects for both species while the combined effects of these nine factors
were responsible as a group for about 74.2% and 95.5% of the changes in nymphal
population densities of D. kirkaldyi and A. jasmini, respectively.

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