The effect of different sulfur sources on the common pistachio psyllid and some of its natural enemies in case studies

Subject Areas :

Zahra Sheibani Tezerji ^{1 *}

1 -

Received: 2025-09-01 Accepted : 2025-09-17 Published : 2025-09-21

Keywords: Agonoscena pistaciae, Chrysoperla carnea, Oenopia conglobata, Psyllaephagus pistaciae, sulfur,

Abstract :

The common pistachio psyllid is one of the most important pests of pistachio trees. The damage of this pest is economic in terms of feeding on plant sap, being multi-generational, and having high reproductive capacity. Chemical insecticides are used to control it. Given the of chemical insecticides have many  disadvantages, Therefore, it is essential to find a safe, effective, and natural method to control this pest. One of these methods is the use of a sulfur mineral compound, which is available in various sources, including mineral and refinery (liquid, wettable powder and micronized powder formulations). Various studies have shown that sulfur is more effective to control of the common pistachio psyllid than chemical pesticides such as imidacloprid and spirotetramat, acetamiprid, flupyradifuron, thiacloprid, and phosalone, and can control this pest for several weeks. The effect of Zarkooh Mine sulfur increases with increasing concentration, and in cases of high pest density that require rapid control, a higher concentration should be used, depending on the pistachio variety and time. Micronized sulfur had better effect than other sulfur formulations to reduce the population density of common pistachio psyllid at different sampling times.The  effect of sulfur on parasitoid, Psyllaephagus pistaciae and Ladybugs, Oenopia conglobata and Hippodamia variegate was less harmful, but on Chrysoperla carnea was medium harmful. Of course, the bioassay on the C. carnea was conducted under laboratory conditions. The application sulfur improves vegetative characteristics and quantitative and qualitative yield of commercial pistachio cultivars and Quality characteristics of pistachio nuts (Kernel composition, appearance and market acceptance). In general, necessary decisions should be taken regarding the method and timing of sulfur application in an integrated pest management program so that it does not adversely affect the sensitive growth stages of natural enemies and also does not cause burns to pistachio leaves and nuts.

References:

1. Afrousheh, M., Hasheminasab, H., and Arab H., 2021. Possible Damages of Sulfur Foliar
Application in Commercial Pistachio Cultivars: hallenges and Solutions. Horticultural Sciences Research Institute, Pistachio research center, publication, 20 Pp. (In Persian)
2. Afrousheh, M., Kazemi, F. Hasheminasab, H., Shaker Ardakani, A., Abdollahi Ezatabadi, M. 2021. The effect of Zarkooh Mine sulfur spraying in pistachio orchards on common pistachio psylla control, leaf and fruit possible damage, horticultural indices, the quality characteristics of pistachio nut and its economic investigation. . Horticultural Sciences Research Institute, Pistachio research, publication, 127 Pp. (In Persian)
3.Alizadeh, A., Kharrazi Pakdel, A., Talebi-Jahromi, K. H., and Samih, M. A. 2007. Effect of some Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Viull. isolates on common pistachio psylla Agonoscena pistaciae Burck. and Laut. International Journal of Agriculture and Biology, 9(1): 76-79.
4. Baghodrat Gh., Ahmadi K., Valizadeh B. 2021. The effect of sulfur, Wollastonite, biotite, zeolite, graphite, perlite, and feldspar on oviposition and egg hatching of common pistachio psylla Agonoscena pistaciae Burckhardt & Lauterer (Hem.: Psyllidae) in orchard conditions. Pistachio and Health Journal, 4 (2): 65-74.
5. Bahadur, N., Azimizadeh, N. and Ahmadi, K., 2020.The effect of plant extracts of bitter gourd, solid sulfur and flupyradifurone and thiacloprid pesticides on common pistachio psyllid nymphs. Fifth National Conference on Biodiversity and its Impact on Agriculture and the Environment, Urmia. (In Persian)
6. Torbati, S., Farazmand, H., Jebeleh, A., Ramazani Moghadam, M. R., Sirjani, M. and Heshmat Pejoh, H. 2016. The effect of mixing micronized sulfur with processed kaolin on Agonoscena pistacia in Kashmar region. The abstracts of the 24th Iranian Plant Protection Congress, Karaj, 827 P. (In Persian)
7. Erfani Nategh, M,. Mahdian, K., Izadi, H. 2023. Effects of Acetamiprid, Spirotetramat and Sulfur on Biological Parameters of the Predatory Coccinellid Hippodamia variegata (Col.: Coccinellidae). Journal of Pistachio Science and Technology, 8 (14): 51-81. (In Persian)
8. Griffith, C. M., Woodrow, J. E., and Seiber, J. N. 2015. Environmental behavior and analysis of agricultural sulfur. Pest management science, 71(11): 1486-1496.
9. Jafari Nadooshan, A., Khani. A., Heidari A. and Mirshekar, A. 2024. Effect of recommended doses of sulfur on life table parameters of green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens), predator of pistachio psyllid. Plant Protection (Scientific Journal of Agriculture), 47 (3): 23-40. (In Persian)
10. Kamyab, F., Rad, A., Zohdi, H., and Hosseinkhani, Mahbobeh. 2024. Studying the effect of Zarkuh sulfur on Agonoscena pistacia. The abstracts of the 24th Iranian Plant Protection Congress, Tehran, 366 P. (In Persian)
11. Kazemi, F. 2020. Effects of Zarkooh Mine Sulfur on Common pistachio psyllid (Agonoscena pistaciae Bur. & Lau.) population in pistachio orchards in Kerman province and its side effects on two beneficial insects. Final Report of Project, 36 PP. (In Persian)
12. Khater, H.F. 2012. Prospects of botanical biopesticides in insect pest management. Pharmacologia, 3(12): 641-656.
13. Mehrnejad, M. R. 2002. Bionomics of the common pistachio psylla, Agonoscena pistaciae, in Iran. Acta Horticulturae, III International Symposium on Pistachios and Almonds, 591: 535-539.
14. Mohammadinia, S. and Emami, S. Y. 2018. Investigating the possibility of using sulfur to control of Agonoscena pistacia in Anar region. 2nd Iranian Pistachio Conference, Rafsanjan. (In Persian)
15. Panahandeh S. Investigation of insecticidal effects of mineral fertilizers on common pistachio psyllids Agonoscena pistaciae Burkhhardt and Lauterer (Hem: Psyllidae) by foliar application, M.Sc. Thesis. Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, 2019: p 117. (In Persian).
16. Pérez-Guerrero, S. and Molina, J. M. 2016. Laboratory approach to the use of sulphur and kaolin as preventive control against Drosophila suzukii. Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research, 14(2): 1-6.
17. Rakhshani, E. 2015. Principles of Agricultural Toxicology (pesticides). Fathang Jameh Publication, 446 Pp. (In Persian)
18. Samih, M.A., Alizadeh, A. and Saberi Riseh, R. 2005. Pistachio Pests and Diseases in Iran and Their IPM. Organization of Jihad-e-University, Tehran.
19. Shabani Brogeni, F. 2016. Botanical and natural pesticides. Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education organization of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, 39 Pp. (In Persian)