Interaction between the leopard moth borer and olive varieties: Associational resistance at work

Abstract

In the last few decades, the population of leopard moth, Zeuzera pyrina L. (Lepidoptera: Cossidae) became high and wide spread in newly established olive orchards in Egypt, where it causes damages and decreases plant vigor. Newly established olive orchards suffered the greatest damage from this woodborer insect, including the death of young trees. In Egypt, damage caused by leopard moth led even to olive grove uprooting. Field data show clear differences in number of active galleries/tree and number of broken olive shoots among olive varieties, while laboratory rearing experiments show strong differences in suitability for larval development. The varietal sensitivity of olive trees, based on a plantation of mixed varieties in ratio of 1:1 in rows of 3+3 on~900 tree /plot, could be summarized as follows: a. Some olive varieties (2 vrieties/plot) were much less injured (Shamy, Kalamata, and Dolcie) than others (Hamed, Toffahi, and Sennara