Host plants preferred by tuta absoluta (Meyrick, 1917) larvae for pupation

Tuta absoluta also known as the leafminer of tomatoes is an invasive pest able to destroy an entire field or greenhouse with tomato plants in a few days. With this study we intend to prove the preference of larvae for pupation. For the study we have used leaves from five plant species: tomato, eggplant, pepper, fig, and Solanum nigrum. Three randomly chosen types of leaves were placed in Petri dish. The most prevalent preference of larvae was for the tomato leaves, followed by Solanum nigrum while the eggplant showed little attraction for the larvae and pepper leaves were untouched. From this study we can conclude that tomato leaves were the most preferred by T. absoluta larvae for their pupation

Aleurocanthus spiniferus (Quaintance, 1903) (orange spiny whitefly, OSW) (Hemiptera, Aleyrodidae) invaded South of Italy

Inspection started from the Lecce city center, namely from the main public park or garden, then extended to orchards and boundaries searching for infested plants. The specimens collected mainly came from young fully mature leaves from the basal part of the infested trees. On infested trees puparia and eggs can be easily collected and black adults can be spotted at the top twigs. Otherwise A. spiniferus is usually on the underside of the leaves. Puparia were slidemounted by quick-mounts method (Martin et al., 2000) or in Canada balsam following the suggestions of Pizza and Porcelli (1993) and Martin (1999). The black puparia were bleached with a cold mixture of 30-volume ammonia and 20-volume hydrogen peroxide (Martin, 1999; Anonymous, 2004). Mounted specimens were identified following Silvestri (1928), Bink-Moenen (1983), Kanmiya et al. (2011), Martin (1987 and 1999). The laboratory notes and the observations were taken by stereomicroscope, light compound microscope and Hitachi TM3000 low pressure SEM. By the end of 2009 OSW infested 68 of the 97 municipalities of Lecce district but the intensity of its infestation varied. In 2010 the pest infested 88 municipalities, except Diso, Guagnano, Melendugno, Novoli, Salice Salentino, Squinzano, Trepuzzi, Uggiano la Chiesa and Veglie. In 2011 OSW started to spread into the villages of the Adriatic coast.Apparently Melendugno and Diso were not infested by it. In 2011 A. spiniferus was found on a Citrus limon in a private garden from San Pancrazio Salentino, a village in the Brindisi district

Results regarding the chemical control of European cherry fruit fly (Rhagoletis cerasi L.) in cherry orchards from Cluj area

In neglected orchards the attack of European cherry fruit fly can affect the production by up to compromising. For framing in the regulations asked by market, it is often required that in cherry plantations to intervene with several strategies of pest control, in which frequently appears chemotherapy. To apply a reduced number of treatments we must know the biological reserve of species and its life cycle. The experiment was conducted over two years, 2013- 2014, in an orchard located near Cluj-Napoca city, Romania.To study the biological cycle of this species, we followed the dynamics of climatic factors, especially the accumulation of active degrees that were needed in going through several stages of development. In order to apply the treatments, we observed flight dynamics of Rhagoletis cerasi using sticky panels (provided by Institute of Chemistry "Raluca Ripan'' Cluj-Napoca). The treatments applyed in combating of the fly consisted in two applications of products belonging to synthetic pyrethroids group. In 2013, the first adults were recorded on 25 May, when the amount of active degrees accumulated was 410, 2 ° C. Frequency of fruits attacked by cherries worm this year was 1%. In 2014, the adults emergence took place on May 21, which corresponded to value of 343,8° C degrees acumulated. Although the population level was still high the frequency of attacked fruits was again 1%, which was mainly due to the possibility of migration of adults at distances over 100 m. In control variant, an untreated orchard, frequency of attacked fruits in both years exceeded 30%