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Life cycle and population growth parameter analysis of the mealybug Phenacoccus solenopsis on three new host plants

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Abstract

Among the pests newly introduced into Morocco, we previously found the scale insect Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae). Phenacoccus solenopsis is a polyphagous scale pest that causes serious damage to several cultivated and non-cultivated crops worldwide. To the present date, three plant species—Portulaca oleracea L., Medicago sativa L. and Opuntia megacantha Salm-Dyck—are known to be attacked by the mealybug in Morocco. In this present study, we investigated the effect of these three host plant species on the life history of the mealybug in the laboratory. Age-stage, two-sex life table data were used for life table data analysis. Portulaca oleracea was determined to be the most suitable plant. This host plant decreased the life cycle duration (female: 47.66 days, male: 30.88 days), and significantly increased the size (0.90–4.73 mm), oviposition period (14.81 days), reproductivity (217.81 eggs/female), pre-adult survival rate (81%) and proportion of females in the generation (0.52) of P. solenopsis. In addition, the long-term population parameter values, including r (0.158 day–1), λ (1.171 day–1), and R0 (91.34 offspring per female) tended to be the highest in P. oleracea compared to the other hosts. Opuntia megacantha was the least suitable for P. solenopsis. This variation in host preference could help in predicting the dynamics of the mealybug populations and also in determining the timing of the release of natural enemies or the application of insecticides to achieve successful pest control. In addition, P. oleracea could be used as a plant-trap to facilitate the control of this pest.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the anonymous reviewers for useful suggestions, which helped in improving this paper.

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The research of this study was supported by the National Institute of Agricultural Research (INRA), Morocco.

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  1. National Institute of Agricultural Research, Ennasr Street Rabat, 10000, Rabat, Morocco

    Mohamed El Aalaoui & Mohamed Sbaghi

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  1. Mohamed El Aalaoui
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El Aalaoui, M., Sbaghi, M. Life cycle and population growth parameter analysis of the mealybug Phenacoccus solenopsis on three new host plants. Arthropod-Plant Interactions 16, 437–448 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11829-022-09905-0

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