Ecological studies on the cotton mealybug Phenacoccus solenopsis (Hemiptera : Pseudocccidae)‎ on maize in Upper Egypt

Abstract EN

Maize crop is one of the food crops that played an important role in the Egyptian economy.

it's important came from its several uses, whether as a food for man or as animal feed.

Recently, Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera: Pseudocccidae) recorded infesting maize crop, Zea Mays L.

across Egypt.

This paper covers the population fluctuations of P.

solenopsis and its associated parasitoid, Aenasius arizonensis (Girault) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) during two successive growing seasons of summer 2019 and 2020 in two varieties of maize plantation (White corn and yellow singular Hybrid 168) in Albalina, Sohag Governorate, Egypt.

The results obtained clarified that P.

solenopsis and its associated parasitoid have three peaks of abundance in both years in the selected maize verities.

The correlation of the abiotic factors (Daily mean temperature and relative humidity) and biotic factors (Parasitoid and the plant age of maize varieties) with the population fluctuation of the cotton mealybug were studied.