Abstract :
The main goal of this study is to determine the species composition of the major cruciferous insect pests (phytophagous and entomophagous insects) inhabiting cabbage plantations in Assiut, Northern Upper Egypt during the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 growing seasons. The abundance of the prevalent fungi species associated with the cabbage aphid Brevicoryne brassicae L. was calculated. In this study, yellow sticky traps and direct observation sampling methods were used. Twenty arthropod species, belonging to fifteen families and six orders were recorded. Eleven species were captured by the yellow sticky traps, while five only were collected by the direct observation method. Four species were collected by both methods. Ten species appeared as phytophagous species (three could be predacious in part). Four predatory, five parasitic and one hyperparasitoid species were recorded. Thrips tabaci¸ Bemicia tabaci, Empoasca sp. and Aphis craccivora were found to be the highest dominant species inhabiting cabbage plantations during both years of study. Predatory species were found to be equal to14.10% and 14.86% of the total arthropod insect species inhabiting cabbage plantations during 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 seasons, respectively. Seventeen fungi species belonging to two divisions, five classes, six orders and eight families, were found to be associated with the cabbage aphid (B. brassicae). This study was conducted to shed a light on insect pests and the natural enemies occurring in cabbage. Also, it can be used as a good informative background on the cabbage insect's fauna. More studies are needed for clarifying and improving the roles of those naturally occurring entomophagous species.
Keyword :
Cabbage, Cabbage aphid, Fungi, Pests, Parasitoids, Predators