Seasonal fluctuation and comparison of different methods of sampling of Liriomyza sativae Blanchard (Dip.: Agromyzidae) in Jiroft, Iran

Subject Areas :

Received: 2013-09-01 Accepted : 2014-02-01 Published : 2014-02-20

Keywords: Population fluctuation, Liriomyza sativae, Sampling methods, greenhouse cucumber, Yellow sticky traps,

Abstract :

The vegetable leafminer, Liriomyza sativae (Blanchard) (Diptera: Agromyzidae) is an important pest in cucumber greenhouses in Jiroft, South of Iran. Seasonal fluctuation and different sampling methods forestimating population density of the leafminer were studied during 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 growing seasons. The population fluctuation surveys showed that the insect activity was started since early December, while increased slowly later on depending on weather conditions. Along the two study years and at the end of the growing seasons, the peak of larval, pupal and adult populations were 10.23 and 29.1 larva / leaf, 238.9 and 124.3 pupa / tray and 61.4 and 87.7 adult / trap respectively. The parameter of Relative Variation (RV) was used to compare the accuracy of sampling methods. As a result the leaf sampling was the most accurate technique (RV= 1.5% and 2.6%) in both growing seasons. Regression models revealed that there were significant relationships between number of alive larvae and quantity of mines, adults and pupae. Consequently, those digits can be used to evaluate the population of leafminer instead of counting larvae which is difficult and time consuming.