Abstract
The mating disruption technique using Checkmate® VMB-XL pheromone dispensers, in combination with imidacloprid-based insecticide treatments through drip irrigation, was tested against vine mealybug in Tunisian vineyards for the first time in the South Mediterranean area. The number of male vine mealybugs caught in traps of mating disruption (MD) plots was significantly lower than that of Non-MD plots, indicating that the application of Checkmate® VMB-XL significantly disrupted the male-female vine mealybug sexual communication. The cumulative effect of mating disruption on vine mealybug over time reached 120 days. Two months after Checkmate® VMB-XL application, the density of mealybug nymphs and adult females on grapevine basal leaves was significantly reduced in all MD plots. The obtained results provide evidence that the application of Checkmate® VMB-XL under Center-South Tunisian vineyard conditions proved to be very effective in confusing vine mealybug males and disrupting the mating process. The eventual future use of this technique in Integrated Pest Management programs in Tunisia is discussed herein.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Abbott W.S. 1925. A method of computing the effectiveness of an insecticide. J. Econ. Entomol. 18 (2): 265–267. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/18.2.265a
Anonymous. 2003. Current status of the vine mealybug Planococcus ficus in California. A Report from the Division of Plant Health and Pest Prevention Services, USA, 18 pp. https://doi.org/cekern.ucdavis.edu/files/98172.pdf (accessed 20.7. 2016).
Bertin S., Cavalieri V., Graziano C. & Bosco D. 2010. Survey of mealybug (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) vectors of Ampelovirus and Vitivirus in vineyards of northwestern Italy. Phytoparasitica 38 (4): 401–409. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12600-010-0109-5
Brück, E., Elbert A., Fischer R., Krueger S., Kühnhold J., Klueken A.M., Nauen R., Niebes J.F., Reckmann U., Schnorbach H.J., Steffens R. & Van Waetermeulen X. 2009. Movento®, an innovative ambimobile insecticide for sucking insect pest control in agriculture: Biological profile and field performance. Crop. Prot. 28 (10): 838–844. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2009.06.015
Cardé R.T. & Minks A.K. 1995. Control of moth pests by mating disruption: successes and constraints. Annu. Rev. Entomol. 40: 559–585. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.en.40.010195.003015
Cocco A., Lentini A. & Serra G. 2014. Mating disruption of Planococcus ficus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in vineyards using reservoir pheromone dispensers. J. Insect Sci. 14 (144): 1–8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jisesa/ieu006.
Cocco A., Marras P.M., Muscas E., Mura A. & Lentini A. 2015. Variation of life history parameters of Planococcus ficus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in response to grapevine nitrogen fertilization. J. Appl. Entomol. 139 (7): 519–528. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jen.12192
Daane K.M., Almeida R.P.P., Bell V.A., Botton M., Fallahzadeh M., Mani M., Miano J.L., Sforza R., Walton V.M. & Zaviezo T. 2012. Biology and management of mealybugs in vineyards, Chapter 12, pp. 271–308. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4032-7_12. In: Bostanian N.J., Isaacs R. & Vincent C. (eds), Arthropod Management in Vineyards Springer, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, 508 pp. ISBN: 978-94-007-4031-0
Daane K.M., Bentley W.J., Walton V.M., Malakar-Kuenen R., Yokota G.Y., Millar J.G., Ingels C.A., Weber E.A. & Gispert C. 2006. New controls investigated for vine mealybug. Calif. Agric. 60 (1): 31–38. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3733/ca.v060n01p31
Daane K.M., Malakar-Kuenen R. & Walton V.M. 2004. Temperature development of Anagyrus pseudococci (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) as a parasitoid of the vine mealybug, Planococcus ficus (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae). Biol. Control 31 (2): 123–132. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2004.04.010
Dalla Montà L., Duso C. & Malagnini V. 2001. Current status of scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) in the Italian vineyards. Boll. Zool. Agr. Bachic. Ser. II. 33 (3): 343–350.
Flaherty D.L., Peacock W.L., Bettiga L. & Leavitt G.M. 1982. Chemicals losing effect against grape mealybug. Calif. Agric. 36 (5): 15–16.
Franco J.C., Silva E.B., Cortegano E., Campos L., Branco M., Zada A. & Mendel Z. 2008. Kairomonal response of the parasitoid Anagyrus spec. nov. near pseudococci to the sex pheromone of the vine mealy bug. Entomol. Exp. Appl. 126 (2): 122–130. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1570-7458.2007.00643.x
Franco J.C., Zada A. & Mendel Z. 2009. Novel approaches for the management of mealybug pests, Chapter 10, pp. 233–278. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-2316-2_10. In: Ishaaya I. & Horowitz A.R. (eds), Biorational Control of Arthropod Pests–Application and Resistance Management, Springer Dordrecht, The Netherlands, 408 pp. ISBN: 978-90-481-2315-5
Gullan P.J. & Martin J.H. 2003. Sternorrhyncha (jumping plantlice, whiteflies, aphids and scale insects), Chapter 243, pp. 1079–1089. In: Resh V.H. & Cardé R.T. (eds), Encyclopedia of Insects, Academic Press–Elsevier Science, New York, USA, 1266 pp. ISBN: 0080546056, 9780080546056
Hinkens D.M., Mcelfresh J.S. & Millar J.G. 2001. Identification and synthesis of the sex pheromone of the vine mealybug, Planococcus ficus. Tetrahedron Lett. 42 (9): 1619–1621. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0040-4039(00)02347-9
IBM Corp. 2011. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 20.0. Armonk, New York, USA.
IRAC. 2016. IRAC Mode of Action Classification Scheme, Version 8.1. Insecticide Resistance Action Committee (IRAC), 26 pp. https://doi.org/www.irac-online.org/documents/moa-classification/ (accessed 20.7.2016).
Langone D., Kaan Kurtural K. & Daane K.M. 2014. Mating disruption of vine mealybug. Practical Winery & Vineyard, February 2014: 1–3 https://doi.org/www.researchgate.net/publication/260794717_Mating_Disruption_of_Vine_Mealybug (accessed 28.7.2016)
Mahfoudhi N., Digiaro M. & Dhouibi M.H. 2009. Transmission of grapevine leafroll viruses by Planococcus ficus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) and Ceroplastes rusci (Hemiptera: Cocci-dae). Plant Dis. 93 (10): 999–1002. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-93-10-0999
Mansour R., Grissa Lebdi K., La Torre I., Zappala L. & Russo A. 2009. Preliminary study on mealybugs in two vineyards of the Cap-Bon Region (Tunisia). Tunis. J. Plant Prot. 4 (2): 185–196.
Mansour R., Grissa Lebdi K. & Rezgui S. 2010a. Assessment of the performance of some new insecticides for the control of the vine mealybug Planococcus ficus (Signoret) in a Tunisian vineyard. Entomol. Hell. 19 (1): 21–33.
Mansour R., Grissa-Lebdi K., Suma P., Mazzeo G. & Russo A. 2017. Key scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) of high economic importance in a Mediterranean area: host plants, bio-ecological characteristics, natural enemies and pest management strategies. Plant Protect. Sci. 53 (1): 1–14. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17221/53/2016-PPS
Mansour R., Mazzeo G., La Pergola A., Grissa-Lebdi K. & Russo A. 2011a. A survey of scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) and tending ants in Tunisian vineyards. J. Plant Protect. Res. 51 (3): 197–203. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/v10045-011-0034-8
Mansour R., Suma P., Mazzeo G., Buonocore E., Grissa Lebdi K. & Russo A. 2010b. Using a kairomone-based attracting system to enhance biological control of mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) by Anagyrus sp. near pseudococci (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) in Sicilian vineyards. J. Entomol. Acarol. Res. 42 (3): 161–170. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4081/jear.2010.161
Mansour R., Suma P., Mazzeo G., Grissa Lebdi K. & Russo A. 2011b. Evaluating side effects of newer insecticides on the vine mealybug parasitoid Anagyrus sp. near pseudococci, with implications for integrated pest management in vineyards. Phytoparasitica 39 (4): 369–376. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12600-011-0170-8
Mansour R., Suma P., Mazzeo G., La Pergola A., Pappalardo V., Grissa-Lebdi K. & Russo A. 2012. Interactions between the ant Tapinoma nigerrimum (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and the main natural enemies of the vine and citrus mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae). Biocontrol Sci. Techn. 22 (5): 527–537. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09583157.2012.665832
Mansour R., Youssfi F.E., Grissa Lebdi K. & Rezgui S. 2010c. Imidacloprid applied through drip irrigation as a new promising alternative to control mealybugs in Tunisian vineyards. J. Plant Protect. Res. 50 (3): 314–319. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/v10045-010-0054-9
Mgocheki N. & Addison P. 2009. Effect of contact pesticides on vine mealybug parasitoids, Anagyrus sp. near pseudo-cocci (Girault) and Coccidoxenoides perminutus (Timber-lake) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae). S. Afr. J. Enol. Vitic. 30 (2): 110–116.
Millar J.G., Daane K.M., McElfresh J.S., Moreira J.A., Malakar-Kuenen R., Guillen M. & Bentley W.J. 2002. Development and optimization of methods for using sex pheromone for monitoring the mealybug Planococcus ficus (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae) in California vineyards. J. Econ. Entomol. 95 (4): 706–714. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1603/0022-0493-95.4.706
Minafra A. & Haididi A. 1994. Sensitive detection of grapevine virus A, B, or leafroll associated III from viruliferous mealybugs and infected tissue by cDNA amplification. J. Virol. Methods 47 (1–2): 175–187. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0166-0934(94)90076-0
Okazawa A., Akamatsu M., Ohoka A., Nishiwaki H., Cho W.J., Nakagawa N. & Ueno T. 1998. Prediction of the binding mode of imidacloprid and related compounds to house-fly head acetylcholine receptors using three-dimensional QSAR analysis. Pestic. Sci. 54 (2): 134–144. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1096-9063(1998100)54:2<134::AID-PS786>3.0.CO;2-G
Placke F.J. & Weber E. 1993. Method for determination of imida-cloprid residues in plant materials. Pflanzensch.-Nachrichten Bayer 46: 2.
Reineke A. & Thiéry D. 2016. Grapevine insect pests and their natural enemies in the age of global warming. J. Pest Sci. 89 (2): 313–328. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-016-0761-8
Sforza R. 2008. Les cochenilles sur la vigne [Scale insects on grapevine], pp. 188–210. In: Kreiter S. (ed.), Ravageurs de la Vigne, Deuxième édition revue et augmentée, Éditions Féret, Bordeaux, France, 392 pp. ISBN-10: 2351560221, ISBN-13: 978-2351560228
Sforza R., Kirk A. & Jones W.A. 2005. Results of foreign exploration for natural enemies of Planococcus ficus (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae), a new invasive mealybug in California vineyards [Résultats des prospections des ennemis naturels de Planococcus ficus (Hom.: Pseudococcidae), une nouvelle espèce envahissante dans le vignoble Californien] AFPP–7eme Conference Internationale sur les ravageurs en agriculture [7th International Conference on Pests in Agriculture–AFPP], Montpellier, 8 pp. https://doi.org/www.ars-ebcl.org/download/sforza/sforza.pdf (accessed 28.7.2016)
Sharon R., Zahavi T., Sokolsky T., Sofer-Arad C., Tomer C., Kedoshim R. & Harari A.R. 2016. Mating disruption method against the vine mealybug, Planococcus ficus: effect of sequential treatment on infested vines. Entomol. Exp. Appl. 161 (1): 65–69. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/eea.12487.
Suckling D.M., Stringer L.D., Stephens A.E.A., Woods B., Williams D.G., Baker G. & El-Sayed A.M. 2014. From integrated pest management to integrated pest eradication: technologies and future needs. Pest Manag. Sci. 70 (2): 179–189. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.3670
Suma P., Mansour R., Russo A., La Torre I., Bugila A.A.A. & Franco J.C. 2012a. Encapsulation rates of the parasitoid Anagyrus sp. nr. pseudococci, by three mealybug species (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae). Phytoparasitica 40 (1): 11–16. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12600-011-0199-8
Suma P., Mansour R., La Torre I., Bugila A.A.A., Mendel Z. & Franco J.C. 2012b. Development time, longevity, reproductive capacity and sex ratio of the mealybug parasitoid Anagyrus sp. nr. pseudococci (Girault) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae). Biocontrol Sci. Techn. 22 (7): 737–745. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09583157.2012.684210
Tanne E., Ben-Dov Y. & Raccah B. 1989. Transmission of the corky-bark disease by the mealybug Planococcus ficus. Phytoparasitica 17 (1): 55–55. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02979605
Triapitsyn S.V., González D., Vickerman D.B., Noyes J.S. & White E.B. 2007. Morphological, biological, and molecular comparisons among the different geographical populations of Anagyrus pseudococci (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), parasitoids of Planococcus spp. (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), with notes on Anagyrus dactylopii. Biol. Control 41 (1): 14–24. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2006.12.013
Tsai C.W., Rowhani A., Golino D.A., Daane K.M. & Almeida R.P.P. 2010. Mealybug transmission of grapevine leafroll viruses: an analysis of virus–vector specificity. Phytopathology 100 (8): 830–834. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-100-8-0830
Walton V.M., Daane K.M., Bentley W.J., Millar J.G., Larsen T.E. & Malakar-Kuenen R. 2006. Pheromone-based mating disruption of Planococcus ficus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in California vineyards. J. Econ. Entomol. 99 (4): 1280–90. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1603/0022-0493-99.4.1280
Walton V.M., Daane K.M., & Pringle K.L. 2004. Monitoring Planococcus ficus in South African vineyards with sex pheromone-baited traps. Crop. Prot. 23 (11): 1089–1096. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2004.03.016
Walton V. M., Krüger K., Saccaggi D.L. & Millar I.M. 2009. A survey of scale insects (Sternorryncha: Coccoidea) occurring on table grapes in South Africa. J. Insect Sci. 9: 47. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1673/031.009.4701
Walton V.M. & Pringle K.L. 1999. Effects of pesticides used on table grapes on the mealybug parasitoid Coccidoxenoides peregrinus (Timberlake) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae). S. Afr. J. Enol. Vitic. 20 (1): 31–34.
Welter S.C., Pickel C., Millar J., Cave F., Van Steenwyk R.A. & Dunley J. 2005. Pheromone mating disruption offers selective management options for key pests. Calif. Agric. 59 (1): 16–22.
Zada A., Dunkelblum E., Assael F., Franco J.C., Silva E.B., Protasov A. & Mendel Z. 2008. Attraction of Planococcus ficus males to racemic and chiral pheromone baits: flight activity and bait longevity. J. Appl. Entomol. 132 (6): 480–489. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0418.2008.01277.x
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mansour, R., Grissa-Lebdi, K., Khemakhem, M. et al. Pheromone-mediated mating disruption of Planococcus ficus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in Tunisian vineyards: Effect on insect population dynamics. Biologia 72, 333–341 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1515/biolog-2017-0034
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/biolog-2017-0034