Biology of Blastopsylla occidentalis (Hemiptera: Psylloidea: Aphalaridae), a pest of Eucalyptus globulus (Myrtaceae) in Yaounde, Cameroon
Open Access
- 15 March 2020
- journal article
- Published by ANSF Publications in Journal of Applied and Natural Science
- Vol. 12 (1), 30-35
- https://doi.org/10.31018/jans.v12i1.2220
Abstract
Eucalyptus spp belong to the family of Myrtaceae and grow all over the world and are adapted to different climates and soils. In Cameroon, these plants are very important for their medicinal and ecological virtues. Eucalyptus globulus has economically and ornamentally values. Blastopsylla occidentalis Taylor (Psylloidea: Aphalaridae) is one of the insects feeding on this plant and its causes severe damages to their host plants. Significant damage occurred in nurseries and in a very young plantations of Eucalyptus spp. The biology of B. occidentalis was studied from July 2010 to June 2011 at Yaounde. The parameters mating process, choice of the egg-laying site by the females, fecundity of the females, longevity of the adults, embryonic and larval development, life cycle and sex ratio were studied. The results showed that males emerged before females, and the mating process lasted about 42 minutes. The longevity of adults was 11 days on average and egg-laying began 8 days after emergence. The average fertility was 38 eggs per female. The eggs were laid on the buds, bracts, young leaves and twigs of its host plant. The life cycle, from egg to egg, required 32 days on average. The sex ratio was close to 1.03. This species fed and developed on Eucalyptus spp. has never been observed on other plants species in the study area, suggesting a specificity of this psyllid to its host plant. These results can be considered as an important step for the establishment of integrated pest control against Eucalyptus psyllid pest species in Cameroon.Keywords
This publication has 9 references indexed in Scilit:
- Population Dynamic of Blastopsylla occidentalis Taylor (Hemiptera: Psyllidae), a Psyllid Pest of EucalyptsNeotropical Entomology, 2015
- Seasonal Population Dynamics of the Potato Psyllid (Hemiptera: Triozidae) and Its Associated Pathogen “Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum” in Potatoes in the Southern Great Plains of North AmericaJournal of Economic Entomology, 2012
- A revised description of Psyllopsis repens Loginova, 1963 (Hemiptera: Psylloidea: Psyllidae), with first records from EuropeArchives of Biological Sciences, 2011
- Life cycle variation and adaptation in jumping plant lice (Insecta: Hemiptera: Psylloidea): a global synthesisJournal of Natural History, 2009
- Occurence and biological aspects of the clitoria tree psyllid in BrazilScientia Agricola, 2005
- Facteurs influençant la dynamique des populations du psylle africain des agrumes Trioza erytreae Del Guercio (Hemiptera: Triozidae) au CamerounInternational Journal of Tropical Insect Science, 2004
- Incidence de Trioza erytreae (del Guercio) (Homoptera: Triozidae), Psylle Vecteur du Greening sur la Sensibilité des Plantules d'Agrumes dans une Pépinière au CamerounInternational Journal of Tropical Insect Science, 2002
- Effects of temperature on biology and life table parameters of the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Homoptera: Psyllidae)Annals of Applied Biology, 2000
- The biology of the Psylloidea (Homoptera): a reviewBulletin of Entomological Research, 1974