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Leptocybe invasa (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) galls parasitized by Megastigmus sp. (Hymenoptera: Torymidae): first record in Indonesia on a new host plant, Eucalyptus brassiana (Myrtaceae)

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Abstract

Leptocybe invasa Fisher & La Salle, 2004 (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), is a gall wasp that infests Eucalyptus L’Hér. (Myrtaceae) species and their crosses in nurseries, orchards and plantations. This pest infests the young plants, coppice shoots and both middle aged and old trees in an ever-increasing number of countries around the world; making it important to record new countries with incidences, as well as new host plants and associated parasitoids of this pest. The objectives of this paper were to record, for the first time, L. invasa galls parasitized by Megastigmus sp. (Hymenoptera: Torymidae) on a new host plant, Eucalyptus brassiana S.T. Blake in Indonesia and key biological data from this association. The number of galls was similar between branch parts (petioles, midribs and stems) and branches. The number of emerged adults differed between their species (L. invasa and Megastigmus sp.) with a higher number for the pest, but similar between branches. The occurrence of L. invasa in Indonesia is alarming as this country is a large producer of paper, pulp and viscose materials from Eucalyptus wood for local and foreign markets. However, its parasitism by Megastigmus opens the possibility to develop biological control programs.

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Acknowledgements

Thanks to Asia Pacific Resources International Holdings Ltd. (APRIL) of the PT. Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper (RAPP) for their financial support. Adam Batten, a Senior Editor at Get It Right in Jakarta, Indonesia, revised and corrected the English language used in this paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. PT. Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper (RAPP), Asia Pacific Resources International Holdings Ltd. (APRIL), Pangkalan Kerinci, 28300, Riau, Sumatra, Indonesia

    Wagner de Souza Tavares, Nike Grace Hanjelina Br Sinulingga, Muhammad Agni Saha, Kevin Sunardi, Ika Feronika L. Sihombing, Marthin Tarigan, Srikumar Koda Kkadan & Alvaro Duran

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  1. Wagner de Souza Tavares
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  2. Nike Grace Hanjelina Br Sinulingga
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  3. Muhammad Agni Saha
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  4. Kevin Sunardi
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  5. Ika Feronika L. Sihombing
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  6. Marthin Tarigan
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  7. Srikumar Koda Kkadan
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  8. Alvaro Duran
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Contributions

WdeST, MT and SKK conceived and designed the research. NGHBS, MAS, KS and IFLS conducted the experiments. WdeST, MT and AD analyzed the data. WdeST wrote the manuscript. All authors read and approved the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Wagner de Souza Tavares.

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de Souza Tavares, W., Sinulingga, N.G.H.B., Saha, M.A. et al. Leptocybe invasa (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) galls parasitized by Megastigmus sp. (Hymenoptera: Torymidae): first record in Indonesia on a new host plant, Eucalyptus brassiana (Myrtaceae). J Plant Dis Prot 130, 1149–1153 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41348-023-00742-8

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