Biodiversity and population fluctuations of parasitoids of the white peach scale, Pseudaulacaspis pentagona (Targioni-Tozzetti) (Hemiptera: Diaspididae), in kiwifruit orchards in Northern Iran

Abstract

Summary The white peach scale, Pseudaulacaspis pentagona Targioni-Tozzetti (Hemiptera: Diaspididae), is one of the most important and destructive polyphagous pests of the Rosaceae family trees. Population fluctuations and biodiversity of the hymenopteran parasitoid species associated with the pest were studied in six kiwi orchards in Iran, during one-year period. Parasitoid species abundance, species diversity indices and evenness indices were calculated. Most of the parasitoid species were dominant or eudominant. Based on the alpha diversity indices, the Najarkola region had high diversity and the Kharatkola region had low diversity. The Paeendasteh region (based on Simpson’s Diversity on Camargo evenness indices) and the Samnakola region (based on the modified Nee, and on Smith and Wilson evenness indices) were less uniform. Among the recorded parasitoids, Encarsia berlesei Howard (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), followed by Aphytis proclia Walker (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), had the highest population in all orchards.