Parasitoid community of the loreyi leaf wormMythimna (Acantholeucania) loreyi: Novel host-parasitoid associations and their efficiency in the eastern mediterranean region of Turkey

First report of Chilo partellus in Turkey, a new invasive maize pest for Europe

“…Natural enemies of maize lepidopteran pests in the region have been well studied (Sertkaya et al. ; Sertkaya and Bayram ; Bayram et al. ); however, in the present study, we were not able to obtain any natural enemies or record any new natural enemy–pest associations.…”

“…In addition, although the chemical control practices followed by Turkish farmers against stem borers will probably be effective against C. partellus as well, long-term environmentally friendly control strategies might be pursued by importing an exotic parasitoid of the pest, Cotesia flavipes, as was done in Africa (Overholt et al 1994;Kfir et al 2002;Assefa et al 2008;Mailafiya et al 2010). Natural enemies of maize lepidopteran pests in the region have been well studied (Sertkaya et al 2004;Sertkaya and Bayram 2005;Bayram et al 2007); however, in the present study, we were not able to obtain any natural enemies or record any new natural enemy-pest associations. Likewise, no natural enemy of the pest has been reported in Israel (Ben-Yakir et al 2013).…”

“…In each field, an area about 1 ha was sampled by choosing rows at random from which least three to four adjacent plants per row were uprooted, examined and dissected carefully, and all lepidopteran pest larvae and pupae were counted and recorded together with geographical coordinates of the fields (Table S1 and fig. ) (Sertkaya and Bayram ). Numbers of plants examined and dissected varied per field sampled (Table S1).…”

“…In this important agricultural region, several other lepidopteran pests of maize plants such as the noctuids Sesamia nonagrioides , Spodoptera exigua , Spodoptera littoralis , Helicoverpa armigera, Pseudoletia unipuncta , Myhtimna loreyi and the crambid Ostrinia nubilalis are causing significant crop damage – beginning as early as seedling emergence (2‐4 leaves) and lasting to harvesting time – especially of the second crop (Kornosor ; Sertkaya et al. ; Sertkaya and Bayram ; Bayram et al. ).…”

“…Here, we report the first introduction of C. partellus into the Mediterranean region of Turkey. In this important agricultural region, several other lepidopteran pests of maize plants such as the noctuids Sesamia nonagrioides, Spodoptera exigua, Spodoptera littoralis, Helicoverpa armigera, Pseudoletia unipuncta, Myhtimna loreyi and the crambid Ostrinia nubilalis are causing significant crop damagebeginning as early as seedling emergence (2-4 leaves) and lasting to harvesting timeespecially of the second crop (Kornosor 1999;Sertkaya et al 2004;Sertkaya and Bayram 2005;Bayram et al 2007). The introduction of C. partellus into Turkey not only increases the number of insect pest species that directly attack maize cobs and stems but also may have ecological repercussions, for example cause changes in the relative abundances of maize borers.…”