Document Type : Short paper
Authors
1
Assistant Prof., Plant Protection Research Department, Sistan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center, AREEO, Zabol, Iran
2
Assistant Prof., Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran
3
Researcher, Plant Protection Research Department, Sistan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center, AREEO
10.22092/ijfrpr.2024.364110.1607
Abstract
Background and objectives: Regular and intelligent monitoring of pests and plant diseases in forest and pasture plants is essential for developing comprehensive natural resource management programs. Collecting information and studying the previous and current conditions of pests and plant diseases, as well as their control limits, provide practical information regarding the existence, time of appearance during the year, control levels, methods used, and the effectiveness of control measures. Due to the unique environmental conditions of the Sistan region (warm and dry) and its proximity to Afghanistan and Pakistan, the necessity of monitoring pests and plant diseases in forest trees and pasture plants in this region is particularly critical.
Methodology:To determine the sampling stations, a preliminary survey was conducted based on the area of the Sistan region and its ecological zones. Five sampling stations were selected, and sampling was conducted at these stations according to the activity periods of each damaging factor. Sampling followed a regular schedule and was directly based on the type and degree of contamination. Collected samples were taken to the laboratory, where the type and extent of infestation or the estimated percentage of damage were recorded. After data preparation and recording, the samples were sent to the Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection for identification and naming by experts in the insect classification department.
Results: Due to soil salinity in the region, the largest infestation of pasture species was observed in the Chenopodiaceae family. A butterfly species, Epiparthia simpliciella (Lep.: Pyralidae), was active on plants such as Hamada griffithii and Haloxylon sp., particularly Seidlitzia rosmarinus. The larvae of this species severely damaged these plants by feeding on their leaves and stems. The larvae of Bruchidius dilutus (Col.: Bruchidae) heavily fed on the fruits and seeds of the important pasture plant Alhagi camelorum. Tamarix plants were infested by the scale insect Trabutina serpentina (Hem.: Pseudococcidae). The larvae of the moth Nephopterygia austeritella (Lep.: Pyralidae) affected the fruit of the mesquite pasture plant. On the leaves and stems of Capparis spinosa, two adult insects, Phyllotreta lativittata (Col.: Chrysomelidae) and Nezara viridula (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), caused damage. Additionally, two butterfly larvae, Thyridophora furia (Lep.: Crambidae) and Gypsonoma minutana (Lep.: Tortricidae), caused severe damage to its fruit. A species of parasitoid wasp of the genus Brachon sp. was also collected from the samples grown in the laboratory and is being identified at the Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection.
Conclusion: Monitoring, identifying, and recording pest outbreaks and planning for their management is imperative due to the increasing population expansion and associated damage. Therefore, careful, timely, and regular monitoring of damaging factors in the pasture and forest communities of this region is essential to prevent the occurrence and outbreak of pests.
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