Insecticidal Activity of Essential Oils against Mealybug Pests (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Most mealybugs of the Pseudococcidae family are important pests of agriculture and ornamental gardens. Our aim was to perform a review and meta-analysis on 14 published scientific articles on the insecticidal activity of essential oils (EOs) against mealybug species of the Pseudococcidae family. Data on (1) species, genus, families, and plant parts from which the EO was extracted; (2) the main compounds of each EO; (3) the highest and lowest concentrations tested; and (4) the application method used for the toxicological studies was collected from each study. The metafor package (R software) was used to perform a three-level random effects meta-analysis. The families Lamiaceae, Rutaceae, Myrtaceae, Zingiberaceae and Euphorbiaceae and the genera Citrus, Cymbopogon, Syzygium, Cinnamomum and Jatropha were the most used among the studies. According to the results from the meta-analyses, 13 out of 24 genera analyzed were effective against mealybugs. All methods were effective, but fumigation and indirect contact were the most frequently used methodologies. The results obtained from the present review and meta-analysis could be used for the potential development of natural biopesticide formulations against mealybugs belonging to the Pseudococcidae family.

Parasitoids (Hymenoptera) of Mealybug Pests (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) from Southern Brazil: Molecular and Morphological Characterization.

Parasitoids of three mealybug pests (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), Planococcus ficus (Signoret), Pseudococcus sociabilis Hambleton, and Pseudococcus viburni (Signoret) have been identified for the first time in Brazil. Mealybugs were collected in fruit-growing areas along southern Brazil during 2013-2016. An integrative approach, combining morphological and molecular methods, was used to identify the Brazilian parasitoids to the species level. Fifteen species were recorded, including 14 primary parasitoids belonging to Encyrtidae and Platygastridae and a single secondary parasitoid species belonging to Signiphoridae. The encyrtid parasitoids Acerophagus flavidulus (Brèthes), Anagyrus calyxtoi Noyes and Zaplatycerus sp., and the signiphorid secondary parasitoid Chartocerus axillaris De Santis are reported for the first time in Brazil.

The status of three species names in the mealybug genus Rastrococcus Ferris (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Pseudococcidae).

This paper attempts to establish the correct status of three species names in the mealybug genus Rastrococcus Ferris (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Pseudococcidae). At present, 31 species are included in the genus (García Morales et al. 2019). The natural distribution of the species is southern Asia and Australasia, but two species have been introduced into Africa and one of them has reached French Guiana.

Differential impacts of six insecticides on a mealybug and its coccinellid predator.

Broad-spectrum insecticides may disrupt biological control and cause pest resurgence due to their negative impacts on natural enemies. The preservation of sustainable pest control in agroecosystems requires parallel assessments of insecticide toxicity to target pests and their key natural enemies. In the present study, the leaf dipping method was used to evaluate the relative toxicity of six insecticides to the striped mealybug, Ferrisia dasylirii (Cockerell) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) and its predator, Tenuisvalvae notata (Mulsant) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Three neurotoxic insecticides, lambda-cyhalothrin, methidathion and thiamethoxam, caused complete mortality of both pest and predator when applied at their highest field rates. In contrast, lufenuron, pymetrozine and pyriproxyfen caused moderate mortality of third-instar mealybug nymphs, and exhibited low or no toxicity to either larvae or adults of the lady beetle. At field rates, lufenuron and pymetrozine had negligible effects on prey consumption, development or reproduction of T. notata, but adults failed to emerge from pupae when fourth instar larvae were exposed to pyriproxyfen. In addition, pyriproxyfen caused temporary sterility; T. notata females laid non-viable eggs for three days after exposure, but recovered egg fertility thereafter. Our results indicate that the three neurotoxic insecticides can potentially control F. dasylirii, but are hazardous to its natural predator. In contrast, lufenuron and pymetrozine appear compatible with T. notata, although they appear less effective against the mealybug. Although the acute toxicity of pyriproxyfen to T. notata was low, some pupal mortality and reduced egg fertility suggest that this material could impede the predator's numerical response to mealybug populations.

Scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) associated with arabica coffee and geographical distribution in the neotropical region

ABSTRACT Coffee is one of the most important Brazilian agricultural commodities exported, and Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo States are the main coffee producers. Scale insects are important coffee pests, and 73 species of Cerococcidae (3), Coccidae (18), Diaspididae (6), Eriococcidae (1), Ortheziidae (3), Pseudococcidae (21), Putoidae (2) and Rhizoecidae (19) have been associated with roots, branches, leaves, flowers and fruits of Arabica coffee in the Neotropics. Eight species were found associated with Arabica coffee in Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo States in this study, and Coccidae was the most frequent family. Coccus alpinus, Cc. celatus, Cc. lizeri, Cc. viridis, and Saissetia coffeae (Coccidae) were found in both states; Alecanochiton marquesi, Pseudaonidia trilobitiformis (Diaspididae), and Dysmicoccus texensis (Pseudococcidae) were only found in Minas Gerais. Alecanochiton marquesi and P. trilobitiformis are first reported in Minas Gerais, and Cc. alpinus in Espírito Santo, on Arabica coffee. All scale insect species were associated with coffee leaves and branches, except D. texensis, associated with coffee roots. Fourty seven scale insect species have been found occurring in Brazilian Arabica coffee, and in Espírito Santo (28) and Minas Gerais (23). Widespread and geographical distribution of each species found are discussed.

Performance of the Striped Mealybug Ferrisia virgata Cockerell (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) under Variable Conditions of Temperature and Mating.

Mealybugs have strong associations with their host plants due to their limitations for dispersal. Thus, environmental conditions and host quality may impact the biological traits of mealybugs. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to report on the biology of a Brazilian population of the striped mealybug Ferrisia virgata Cockerell (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), which has recently been reported to infest cotton in Brazil. We evaluated the development and reproductive performance of F. virgata reared under different temperatures (25, 27, and 28°C) and mating status. The type of reproduction was also studied with insects reared on a factitious host and on cotton plants. Shorter development was obtained at 28°C as follows: nymphs generating males and females exhibited three and four instars with a mean duration of 19.1 and 20.5 days, respectively. The nymphal viability ranged from 77 to 96%, and was highest at 25°C. Females reared at 28°C initiated reproduction earlier (16.4 days), but the reproductive period was similar in all temperatures (∼16.2 days). Females produced more nymphs at 27 and 28°C (440 and 292 neonates) than at 25°C (277 neonates), although they lived longer at 25°C (63 days). Ferrisia virgata females exhibited only sexual reproduction. Thus, only mated females produced offspring, whereas unmated females died without reproducing. Therefore, the studied population of F. virgata exhibited only sexual reproduction with high survival and offspring production when fed cotton. Furthermore, pumpkin is a feasible host for mass rearing this mealybug species in the laboratory, an opening avenue for future studies.

Primeira ocorrência de dysmicoccus brevipes (cockerell, 1893) (hemiptera: pseudococcidae) na palmeira rhapis excelsa (thunberg) henry ex. rehder no brasil / First occurrence of dysmicoccus brevipes (cockerell, 1893) (hemiptera: pseudococcidae) in palms of species rhapis excelsa (thunberg) henry ex. rehder in brazil

RESUMO Cochonilhas-farinhentas (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) das raízes de Palmeira Rhapis excelsa (Thunberg) Henry ex. Rehder coletadas em Lavras, Estado de Minas Gerais, foram identificadas como Dysmicoccus brevipes (Cockerell, 1893), sendo este o primeiro relato de ocorrência dessa praga nessas plantas no Brasil.

ABSTRACT Mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) of roots the palm Rhapis excelsa (Thunberg) Henry ex. Rehder collected in Lavras, State of Minas Gerais, were identified as Dysmicoccus brevipes (Cockerell, 1893), this being the first report of the occurrence of this pest on this plant in Brazil.

Sobre a nomenclatura das espécies de cochonilhas-farinhentas do cafeeiro nos Estados de Minas Gerais e Espírito Santo / About the nomenclature of coffee mealybug species in Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo States, Brazil

Root coffee (Coffea arabica L.) mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) collected in Boa Esperança, southern Minas Gerais State, were identified as Dysmicoccus texensis (Tinsley) (= bispinosus Beardsley) and these from aerial part collected in Castelo, State of the Espírito Santo, as Planococcus minor (Maskell). However, Brazilian literature mentions other mealybug species of coffee tree as Pseudococcus cryptus Hempel in roots and Planococcus citri (Risso) in the aerial part. Therefore, more than one mealybug species may be occurring in the roots as in aerial part of coffee trees, and the survey and taxonomic studies are necessary before setting a control program, specially biological control.

Cochonilhas-farinhentas (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) das raízes do cafeeiro (Coffea arabica L.) coletadas em Boa Esperança, Estado de Minas Gerais, foram identificadas como Dysmicoccus texensis (Tinsley) (= bispinosus Beardsley) e da parte aérea dos cafeeiros em Castelo, Estado do Espírito Santo, como Planococcus minor (Maskell). Porém, na literatura brasileira são citadas outras espécies de pseudococcídeos em cafeeiros, Pseudococcus cryptus Hempel nas raízes e Planococcus citri (Risso) na parte aérea. Assim, é possível que mais de uma espécie de cochonilhas-farinhentas possam estar ocorrendo nas raízes e na parte aérea dos cafeeiros, tornando os levantamentos e estudos taxonômicos necessários para o estabelecimento de programas de controle, sobretudo o biológico.