The parasitoid complex of Liriomyza cicerina on chickpea (Cicer arietinum)

Abstract

Liriomyza cicerina (Diptera: Agromyzidae) is an important pest on chickpea in Turkey. The objective of this study was to determine the parasitoids and rates of parasitism of L. cicerina on chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) during the 2005 and 2006 seasons in Sanhurfa province, Turkey. Leaves with mines were sampled weekly and kept in the laboratory to observe and count emerging leafminer and parasitoid adults. Eight parasitoid species were collected: the braconids Opius monilicornis Fischer and Opius tersus Foerster and the eulophids Diaulinopsis arenaria (Erdos) and Neochrysocharis formosa (Westwood), which occurred in both the winter and summer seasons; Diglyphus crassinervis Erdos, Neochrysocharis ambitiosa Hansson, Neochrysocharis sericea (Erdos) and Pediobius metallicus (Nees), which occurred only in the summer growing areas. Diaulinopsis arenaria was the predominant parasitoid with 4-7.7% parasitism rate while N. ambitiosa and O. monilicornis were the second and third most predominant species. The results of these trials show that since Dia. arenaria occurred throughout every season, it could potentially be used for control of the leafminer L. cicerina.