| Study of seasonal fluctuations of whiteflies in green spaces of Tehran |
| Paper ID : 1027-3IICE (R2) |
| Authors: |
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Mona Ghorbanian *1, Mahmoud Azimi2 1departman, guilan university 2GSU, Manucipality |
| Abstract: |
| Over the past few years, berry trees in Tehran have been introduced to the whiteflies called Aleuroclava jasmini (Hem: Aleyrodidae) as an four-year-old uninvited guests. Today, in green spaces of Tehran due to the limited use of chemical pesticides, maintaining and enhancing biodiversity are emphasized as sustainable and low-cost methods in an integrated management program through non-chemical pest control practices. Knowing the life cycle of the pest, flight peak, overwintering form etc enable experts to design a comprehensive integrated management program. Therefore, in this study, seasonal variations of whitefly population was studied in selected green spaces of the 21st district of Tehran. Two areas with the high density of whiteflies population were selected, then, 20 berry trees and 20 olive trees were marked in each area. Four leaves were taken from each tree weekly and, in the laboratory, number of different growth stages of whiteflies were recorded using stereomicroscope. Results revealed that, on the mulberry, whiteflies population peak occurred in August, 2017. From October, gradually the pest activity decreased with decreasing temperature, and in December, with more lowering air temperature, and as mulberry trees shed leaf, the pest activity reached zero. Whiteflies overwintering happened on the olive trees as form of egg, nymph and pupa. In the next spring, as the temperature elevated, adult whitefly emerged from overwintering stages and flew toward the host trees to feed and reproduce. By May, the activity of this generation was seen on the olive tree. Nevertheless, they migrated to the young and more tender leaves of mulberry trees since then. Again in October, as air temperature decremented, they started overwintering on their winter host (olive). |
| Keywords: |
| Whiteflies, Green space, Seasonal population dynamic, Tehran. Municipality |
| Status : Paper Accepted (Poster Presentation) |
