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Emergence of the apricot seed wasp Eurytoma samsonowi Vassiliev (Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae) as an economic pest of apricots in Tunisia

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Abstract

Many eurytomid (Eurytomidae) wasps are plant parasites, and some of them are economic agricultural pests. In 2015, a new eurytomid wasp species was detected attacking apricots in the governorate of Gafsa located in the southern west region of Tunisia. Morphological and molecular identifications allowed to identify the pest as the apricot seed wasp Eurytoma samsonowi Vassiliev, a new record in Tunisia and Africa. Besides, field surveys were performed from 2017 to 2021 in order to assess the distribution of E. samsonowi in the main Tunisian apricot production areas, to characterize its symptoms of attack and to assess its damage on different apricot cultivars. The pest has limited distribution in Tunisia as it was found only in the governorates of Gafsa, Sidi Bouzid and Tozeur. Larvae of this pest feed on apricot nucellar tissues. Infested fruits either prematurely fall on the ground or turn black, become ‘mummified’, and remain attached to the tree. The highest infestation rates were recorded on Bayoudhi cultivar ranging from 64 to 76% depending on the year. Infestation rates registered on Bedri and Amor Leuch cultivars ranged from 24% to 51% and 27 to 53%, respectively. Therefore, this insect should be considered as an economic pest of apricots in Tunisia. Possible management measures and future outlooks are discussed.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Hatem Zitouni the president of the Association for the Preservation of the City of Gafsa (ASM Gafsa) Tunisia for his serious involvement and support in the field work. We thank Dr. Steve Perlman from the University of Victoria (Canada) for hosting Takwa Wanassi in his Lab for the molecular identification of the insect with the support of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. We thank also Caitlin Curtis for her help in molecular identification. Takwa Wannassi was the recipient of a grant from the Tunisian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. High Agronomic Institute of Chott-Mariem, Department of Biological Sciences and Plant Protection, University of Sousse, Sousse, Tunisia

    Takwa Wannassi, Ahlem Harbi, Khaled Abbes & Brahim Chermiti

  2. Research Laboratory of Agricultural Production Systems and Sustainable Development, High School of Agriculture of Mograne, University of Carthage, Zaghouane, Tunisia

    Mohamed Elimem

  3. Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD), Montpellier SupAgro, INRA, IRD, Univ. Montpellier, Montpellier, France

    Gérard Delvare

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  1. Takwa Wannassi
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  2. Ahlem Harbi
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  3. Khaled Abbes
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  4. Mohamed Elimem
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  5. Gérard Delvare
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  6. Brahim Chermiti
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Correspondence to Brahim Chermiti.

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Wannassi, T., Harbi, A., Abbes, K. et al. Emergence of the apricot seed wasp Eurytoma samsonowi Vassiliev (Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae) as an economic pest of apricots in Tunisia. Phytoparasitica 50, 837–852 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12600-022-00990-8

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