Estimating Seasonal Abundance of Piercing-Sucking Insects and Their Natural Enemies on Sweet Basil Plants

Abstract

Piercing-sucking insects are notorious devastating insects that cause substantial damage to crops and yield losses due to the direct feeding by both nymphs and adults furthermore through the transmission of viruses and diseases. Field experiments were conducted during the two growing summer seasons of 2021 and 2022 at Zagazig district, Sharkia Governorate, Egypt to assess the seasonal abundance of the major piercing-sucking insects and their associated natural enemies on sweet basil plants. Five piercing-sucking insect species were surveyed; Bemisia tabaci (Genn.), Aphis gossypii Glover, Nezara viridula L., Empoasca decipiens (Paoli), and Thrips tabaci Lind. Also, six predatory species were recorded; Coccinella undecimpunctata L., Chrysoperla carnea (Steph.), Orius sp., Paederus alfierii (Koch), Metasyrphus corollae (Fabr.) and Scymnus sp., and three parasitoid species were observed; Aphidius colemani (Viereck) as a primary parasitoid, Alloxysta sp. as a hyperparasitoid on A. gossypii and Trissolcus megalocephalus (Ashmead) as a parasitoid of N. viridula eggs. Our observations about the main piercing-insects and their natural enemies on sweet basil could be considered as a part of their control plan.