Abd-Rabou, S. 2002 The effect of augmentative releases of indigenous parasitoids on populations of Parlatoria oleae (Colvee) (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) in olive groves in Egypt.. Bollettino di Zoologia Agraria e di Bachicoltura (Milano) (2001) 33(3): 473-481.
Keywords:
Notes: [Special Issue: Proceedings of the ISSIS IX International Symposium on Scale Insect Studies held at The University of Padua, Italy), Sept. 2-8, 2001.] The aphelinid parasitoids, Aphytis paramaculicornis, A. chrysomphali and Encarsia aurantii were mass reared and released at monthly intervals in olive groves infested with Parlatoria oleae at five locations in Egypt. A total of about 115000 adult parasitoids were augmentatively released between March 2000 and February 2001. Although the percentage parasitism of the scale increased in the experimental plots compared with the control plots after parasitoid release, there was no apparent reduction in the scale population at any site. Only E. aurantii populations continued to increase during March to September and this appeared to be the parasitoid best adapted to attack the P. oleae populations when they were near their peak; however, it did not become established at two of the sites. It is concluded that further augmentative releases are unlikely to improve the present biological control of P. oleae at any of these sites.
