Mealybugs (Hemiptera, Coccomorpha, Pseudococcidae) on parasitic plants (Loranthaceae) in Indonesia with description of a new species and a new country record

Parasitic plants have been known to be attacked by insect pests since ancient times. However, little is known about the mealybug (Hemiptera, Coccomorpha, Pseudococcidae) fauna associated with them. A series of surveys of mealybugs found on Loranthaceae, a semi-parasitic plant family, was conducted in several places in Bengkulu Province, southern Sumatra, Indonesia. In the study, 55 mealybug specimens were collected, consisting of eight species belonging to five genera, namely Chorizococcus McKenzie (1 species), Dysmicoccus Ferris (2 species), Ferrisia Fullaway (1 species), Planococcus Ferris (3 species) and Pseudococcus Westwood (1 species). Chorizococcusozeri Zarkani & Kaydan, sp. nov. is new to science, whilst Planococcusbagmaticus Williams represents the first record in Indonesia. In addition, the mealybugs Dysmicoccuslepelleyi (Betrem), Dysmicoccuszeynepae Zarkani & Kaydan, Ferrisiadasylirii (Cockerell), Planococcuslilacinus (Cockerell) and Pseudococcusjackbeardsleyi Gimpel & Miller are newly recorded from plants of the family Loranthaceae. Figures and illustrations of mealybug species with a taxonomic key to Asian Chorizococcus and a new country record based on morphological characters are also updated.

A checklist of Indonesian scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha)

Scale insects (Hemiptera: Sternorryncha: Coccomorpha) are a very important insect group containing numerous pests of woody and herbaceous plants worldwide. The only complete study of any scale insects in Indonesia was by D.J. Williams on the mealybugs (Pseudococcidae sensu lato), published in 2004; the other scale insect families have only been documented in various small publications. Here we provide a complete checklist of the scale insects of Indonesia, which now contains 364 species belonging to 136 genera in 16 families. The family Diaspididae is the most diverse, with 158 species belonging to 44 genera, followed by Pseudococcidae with 105 species belonging to 32 genera, and Coccidae with 65 species belonging to 22 genera. The other families are, in order of size: Monophlebidae (26 species belonging to 9 genera), Rhizoecidae (12 species belonging to 4 genera), Asterolecaniidae (11 species belonging to 5 genera), Leconodiaspidae (7 species belonging to 3 genera), Cerococcidae (5 species belonging to 3 genera), Xenococcidae (5 species belonging to 2 genera), Ortheziidae (4 species belonging to 3 genera), Eriococcidae (4 species belonging to 2 genera), Aclerdidae (2 species belonging to 1 genus), and Kermesidae (1 species belonging to 1 genus).

LABORATORY EVALUATION OF BENGKULU ISOLATES OF Beauveria bassiana AND Metarhizium anisopliae AGAINST COFFEE BERRY BORER, Hyphotenemus hampei, USING SPRAYING METHOD

Laboratory Evaluation of Local Isolates of Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae against Coffee Berry Borer, Hyphotenemus hampei, using spryaing method. Beauveria bassiana Bals (Vuillemin) and Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschnikoff) Sorokin are two species of fungi that have been studied widely and used as biological control of various insect pests, including coffee berry borer (CBB), Hyphotenemus hampei Ferrari. Laboratory studies were done in June – July 2017, to evaluate local isolates of both fungi species against CBB, the most destructive insect pest of coffee worldwide, including in Indonesia. B. bassiana was isolated from dead sweet potato weevil (Cylas formicarius) and green stink bug (Nezara viridula), and from soil. M. anisopliae was isolated from soil. The pure cultures of the fungi were mass-cultured on corn based media. The conidia harvested from 4 week colonies was hand sprayed directly upon CBB adults (females) and damaged coffee berry at the concentration of 109 ml-1. In additions, the conidia of B. bassiana isolated from C. formicarius alone was diluted to 106- 109 ml-1 and applied to damaged coffee berry. The results showed that when the conidia were applied directly upon the insects, the mortality of beetle were higher in B. bassiana than in M. anisopliae treatments. Pooled data indicated that B. bassiana isolated from death insects significantly caused higher mortality than did M. anisopliae isolated from soil. Beetle mortality was 76.7 and 80.0% for B. basiana, and 60.3 and 60% for M. anysopliae treatments. Application upon damage coffee berry indicated much lower mortality. Application of higher concentration upon damaged coffee berry resulted higher mortality, but data are not consistent. The mortality of CBB larvae was much less and negligible even at the highest conidia concentration.

PENAMPILAN KETAHANAN ENAM VARIETAS KACANG TANAH TERHADAP PENGGEREK POLONG (ETIELLA ZINCKENELLA TRIETSCHKE) DI DATARAN TINGGI DAN DATARAN RENDAH BENGKULU

Resistance performance of six groundnut varieties to Soybean Pod Borer (Etiella zinckenella Treitschke) at high and low elevation in Bengkulu.  Soybean pod borer (SPB), Etiella zinckenella Treitschke, often caused serious pod damage and reduced pod yield in several groundnut central in Bengkulu.  Field trials were conducted in two locations, Air Dingin (Rejang Lebong, 900 m asl.) and Kuro Tidur (Bengkulu Utara, 200 m asl.) to evaluate resistance performance of groundnut varieties to SPB. Six varieties,  Jerapah, Kacil, Bison, Pather, Singa dan Singa, were grown in Air Dingin.  Five varieties ( as above but minus Sima) were grown in Kuro Tidur. Susceptible local variety was used as control. Varieties were arranged in plots in randomized complete block design (RCBD) replicated three times,  in 3 m x 5 m plots and 20 cm x 30 cm planting space. Dolomite was applied at doses of 0.333 ton ha-1 in Air Dingin and 3 ton ha-1 in Kuro Tidur.  Plants were fertilized with N (Urea) - P (TSP) - K (KCl) at the nationally recommended doses (70 - 125 - 70 kg ha-1).  Damaged pods and larval density were observed three times at 63, 77 and 93 day after sowing (SAW).  Undamaged pods was weighted at harvest.  Data were analyzed with analysis of variance and LSD to separate varietal means.  The results revealed that the numbers and percetages of damaged pods incresed with plant age.  Four groundnut varieties (Kancil, Panther, Singa and Sima) suffered significantly less pod damage than local variety and the other two (Jerapah and Bison), and therefore they are more resistance than the last three. Regardless of varieties, pod damage was significantly higher in Kuro Tidur than that in Air Dingin.  The weight of undamage pods of  resistance varieties was significantly higher than that of local, but was not significantly difference from that of Bison and Jerapah, in Air Dingin. In contrast, there was no significant different undamage pod weight between all varieties in Kuro Tidur.

RESISTANCE OF SOME GROUNDNUT CULTIVARS TO SOYBEAN POD BORER, ETIELLA ZINCKENELLA TREIT. (LEPIDOPTERA: PYRALIDAE)

Resistance of some groundnut cultivars to soybean pod borer, Etiella zinckenella Treit. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae).  Five groundnut cultivars: Badak, Panther, Sima, Gajah, and Simpai, were grown in field in June-August, 2006 to determine their resistance/susceptibility to Etiella zinckenella Treit.  Two local cultivars (big and small seeds) were included as comparison (controls). All cultivars were grown in experimental plots arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD), replicated three times. The incidence of soybean pod borer and damaged pods were observed at 9, 11, 13 weeks after sowing (WAS) at 10 sample plants taken randomly from each plot. All cultivars were harvested at 13 WAS. Number of damaged pods was counted and percentages per plant were calculated. Larvae observed inside pod or in the soil were counted and collected. The seed yield per plant and weight of 100 seeds from 100 sample plants taken randomly at harvest were weighted to nearest gram at 10% water content. Pod toughness (hardness) was measured with penetrometer. Resistance level of each cultivar was determined based on cultivar’s means and overall mean and standard deviation of the percentages of damaged pods. Data were analyzed with analysis of variance (ANOVA) and means were separated with DMRT. The result revealed that mean percentages of damaged pod differed significantly between cultivars. Seed yield of cultivar Panther, Sima and Badak were significantly higher than those of the other two and local cultivars. Cultivar Panther was categorized as resistant, cultivar Sima and Badak as moderately resistant, while the others as susceptible. The relative resistance of groundnut cultivar seems, at least in part, to correlate with the structural hardness of pod.