1 2251-9041 Tarbiat Modares University 3067 Characterization of phytoplasmas associated with tomato big bud disease, using single-tube nested PCR Moslemkhani Cobra b Razavi Vahideh c Sadeghi Leila d Mobasser Samad e Khelgati bana Fatemeh f Shahbazi Raheleh g b Seed and Plant Certification and Registration Institute, Karaj, Karaj, Iran. c Seed and Plant Certification and Registration Institute, Karaj, Karaj, Iran. d Seed and Plant Certification and Registration Institute, Karaj, Karaj, Iran. e Seed and Plant Certification and Registration Institute, Karaj, Karaj, Iran. f Seed and Plant Certification and Registration Institute, Karaj, Karaj, Iran. g Seed and Plant Certification and Registration Institute, Karaj, Karaj, Iran. 1 12 2014 3 5 573 580 25 12 2013 24 05 2014 Tomato is an important vegetable crop in Iran. Recently symptoms associated with phytoplasma disease were observed in tomato cultivars in Karaj vicinity. The phytoplasmas were detected and characterized using single-tube nested PCR and RFLP. The universal primer pairs amplified the target DNA with expected sizes from symptomatic samples in direct PCR and single-tube nested PCR. The patterns of RFLP analysis obtained from plants with symptoms of yellowing and showing a bushy aspect corresponded to the profile of tomato big bud phytoplasma–subgroup 16SrI, and those detected from plants with symptoms of shoot proliferation and swollen and virescent buds belonged to tomato big bud phytoplasma–subgroup 16SrVI. Mobeen was the most susceptible cultivar with 23% natural infection, and Alex, Raha, Sadeen 21, and Sadeen 95 cultivars showed no symptoms of disease. Lack of symptoms in the latter cultivars might be due to inefficient transmission of phytoplasma by vectors or their resistance or tolerance to disease.
10599 Preimaginal development and fecundity of Gaeolaelaps aculeifer (Acari: Laelapidae) feeding on Rhizoglyphus echinopus (Acari: Acaridae) at constant temperatures Amin Mohammad Reza h Khanjani Mohammad i Zahiri Babak j h Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran. i Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran. j Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran. 1 12 2014 3 5 581 587 26 04 2014 02 06 2014 The laelapid mite, Gaeolaelapsaculeifer (Canestrini) is widespread in soil habitats and feeds on different small arthropods, fungi and nematodes. The development and fecundity of G. aculeifer feeding on Rhizoglyphus echinopus (Fumouze & Robin) as prey was studied at eight different constant temperatures which include: 16, 17.5, 20, 22.5, 25, 27.5, 30 and 32.5 ºC, with relative humidity of 60 ± 5%, and a 16:8 h (Light: Dark) photoperiod. The results showed that the development time of immature stages were 30.80 ± 0.68, 30.57 ± 0.42 days at 16 °C; 8.66 ± 0.09, 8.20 ± 0.18 days at 30 °C and 9.86 ± 0.19, 9.77 ± 0.22 days at 32.5 °C for females and males, respectively. The pre-oviposition period considerably varied from 7.60 ± 3.02 days at 16 °C to 0.81 ± 0.09 days at 30 °C and then increased to 2.07 ± 0.25 days at 32.5 °C. The oviposition period decreased with increasing temperature from 36.93 ± 2.66 days at 20 °C to 17.67 ± 1.90days at 32.5 °C. The average life span of females was 102.40 ± 8.08 days at 16 °C and 37.21 ± 1.98 days at 32.5 °C. The mean daily oviposition per female increased from 0.49 ± 0.14 at 16 °C to 3.76 ± 0.13 at 30 °C and decreased to 1.88 ± 0.15 at 32.5 °C.   9080 The effects of topical application of two essential oils against Sitophilus granarius (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and Tribolium confusum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) Ziaee Masumeh k k Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Iran. P. O. Box: 61357-43311. 1 12 2014 3 5 589 595 05 04 2014 14 06 2014 Bioassays were conducted to assess the contact toxicity of two plant essential oils against adults of Sitophilus granarius (L.) and Tribolium confusum Jacquelin du Val. Essential oils were extracted from seeds of Carum copticum L. and Cuminum cyminum L. Contact toxicity was assessed by topical application and adult mortality was counted 1, 2, 6 and 24 h after exposure. Bioassays were carried out at 27 ± 1 °Cand 65 ± 5% RH in continuous darkness. Results indicated the two essential oils tested were topically toxic to both species. The mortality increased with increase in the oils dose and time exposed to each dose. Adults of S. granarius were more sensitive to C. copticum oil (LD50 = 0.009 µg/mg body wt) than C. cyminum essential oil (LD50 = 0.016 µg/mg body wt). In general, T. confusum showed similar sensitivity to both essential oils. However, adults of T. confusum were more resistant than S. granarius. C. copticum and C. cyminum oils have potential for use in stored-product pest management.   5397 Functional response of Anthocoris nemoralis (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) to the pear psylla, Cacopsylla pyricola (Hemiptera: Psyllidae): effect of pear varieties Emami Mohammad Saeed l Shishehbor Parviz m Karimzadeh Esfahani Javad n l Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Chamran University, Ahvaz, Iran. m Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Chamran University, Ahvaz, Iran. n Isfahan Research Centre for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Isfahan, Iran. 1 12 2014 3 5 597 609 09 11 2013 25 05 2014 Anthocoris nemoralis (F.) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) is one of the most prominent predators of the pear psylla, Cacopsylla pyricola (Forster) (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) and is considered as a biological control agent against this pest. In order to investigate the effects of plant varieties on predation of C. pyricola by A. nemoralis, the functional response of both the sexes of A. nemoralis to pear psylla nymphs was studied on three pear varieties including ‘Shahmiveh’, as a susceptible host plant and ‘Sebri’ and ‘Coscia’, as partially-resistant host plants. Different densities of C. pyricola nymphs were offered to single A. nemoralis and predation proceeded for 24 h. The experiments were carried out under constant environmental conditions (27 ± 1 °C, 70 ± 5% RH and L: D 16: 8 h). Logistic regression and nonlinear least-squares regression were used to determine the type of functional response and to estimate attack rate (a) and handling time (Th), respectively. The results showed a type II functional response on all varieties. The asymptotic 95% confidence intervals, estimated by the model with indicator variable revealed that there was no significant difference between either the attack rates or between handling times of same sex of the predator on the tested varieties. However, when sexes were compared, the females of A. nemoralis had a shorter handling time and higher searching efficiency than the males on all varieties. The maximum predicted daily prey consumption by a female predator (T/Th) was the highest on the susceptible variety. Based on the type of functional response and its parameter values, the effectiveness of A. nemoralis was not affected by plant resistance; these findings may be promising for the integration of the partially-resistant varieties and A. nemoralis in sustainable pest management programs against the pear psylla. The implications of the results for biological control of pear psylla are discussed in a tritrophic context.   9541 First record of Acizzia jamatonica (Kuwayama) (Hemiptera: Psyllidae: Acizziinae) in Iran Manzari Shahab o Sahragard Ahad p o Insect Taxonomy Research Department, Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection, P. O. Box: 1454, Tehran 19395, Iran. p Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Guilan, P. O. Box: 41335-3179, Rasht, Iran. 1 12 2014 3 5 611 614 08 06 2014 13 07 2014 The East Asian psyllid, Acizzia jamatonica (Kuwayama, 1908) (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) is newly reported from Iran. This is also considered as the first record of the genus Acizzia Heslop-Harrison and the subfamily Acizziinae for the country. The psyllid was collected from Persian silk tree, Albizia julibrissin Durazzini (Fabaceae), in Rasht, Guilan province, in July 2013. A brief taxonomic diagnosis is provided to facilitate its recognition. 5912 Effects of physical state of formulations on the potential of Trichoderma harzianum 199 against wheat common bunt Shetab Booshehri Seyed Mehdi Department of Plant Protection of Ahvaz Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center. 1 12 2014 3 5 615 624 04 10 2013 13 07 2014 Potential of three physically different formulations of biocontrol agent Thrichoderma harzianum199 was investigated in a field trial against wheat common bunt caused by Tilletia laevis Kühn. Wheat seeds of cv. Chamran were treated with liquid, semi-solid (gel mixed suspension) and solid (talc powder) formulations prior to planting. Field practices were performed based on Khuzestan wheat planting schedule and no chemical was used until harvesting. The results of analyzed data showed significant effect of formulation type on common bunt incidence. Tetraconazole (chemical check) showed common bunt reduction (97.7%) and among bio-formulations, gel-mixed suspension was significant in disease reduction (43.41%), but it was next to talc and liquid formulation in yield, harvested weight, healthy spikes and stem height. Talc formulation reduced bunt infection (39.07%) and showed better than gel mixed suspension in yield and some yield components. Conversely, liquid formulation enhanced bunt incidence (25.31%) but was almost same as the talc and better than gel formulation in yield and yield components. General findings of this experiment indicate that physical form of T. harzianum 199 formulation can effectively influence both common bunt prevention and agronomic potential of Chamran wheat cultivar. 6031 Natural predatory survey on vineyards infested by grape erineum mite, Colomerus vitis (Pagenstecher) (Acari: Eriophyidae) in western Iran Javadi Khederi Saeid Khanjani Mohammad Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran. Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran. 1 12 2014 3 5 625 630 03 03 2014 16 07 2014 The grape erineum mite (GEM), Colomerus vitis (Pagenstecher) (Acari: Eriophyidae) is considered to be one of the most important pests, that sometimes causes irreversible damages to grapevine cultivars in western parts of Iran. Studies were carried out in order to find natural enemies associated with GEM, during 2011-2013. Results indicated that natural enemies included two species of predatory mites belonging to the families Phytoseiidae [Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) khosrovensis, T. (Anthoseius) bagdasarjani], Tydeidae (Neopronematus sp.), one species of Anystidae (Anystis baccarum), one species of Stigmaeidae (Zetzellia mali), one species of dipteran: Cecidomyiidae (Arthrocnodax vitis Rubsaamen), four species, belonging to the family Coccinellidae (Stethorus gilvifrons, Coccinella septempunctata, Hipodamya varigiata, Harmonia sp.), two species of predatory bugs belonging to the family Anthocoridae (Orius albidipennis, O. niger) and one species of Chrysopidae (Chrysopa carnea). Amongst them the cecidomyiid, the tydeid mite and the phytoseiid mites, had higher population densities in this area.       8696 Effect of pheromone trap sizes and colors on capture of Leopard moth, Zeuzera pyrina (Lepidoptera: Cossidae) Ardeh Mohammad Javad Mohammadipour Ali Kolyaee Raoof Rahimi Hassan Zohdi Hadi Research Department of Agricultural Entomology, Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection, P. O. Box: 19395-1454, Tehran, Iran. Research Department of Agricultural Entomology, Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection, P. O. Box: 19395-1454, Tehran, Iran. Research Department of Agricultural Entomology, Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection, P. O. Box: 19395-1454, Tehran, Iran. Research Department of Plant Protection, Khorasan Agricultural & Natural Resources Research Center, Agricultural Center of Torogh, 91735, Mashhad, Iran. Research Department of Plant Protection, Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center, 7617913935, Kerman, Iran. 1 12 2014 3 5 631 636 13 08 2013 15 07 2014 The Leopard moth, Zeuzera pyrina (L.) (Lepidoptera: Cossidae) is a serious pest of walnut and apple trees in Iran. One of the control methods for this pest is the mass trapping of males using pheromone traps. To determine the best size and color of traps, four different colors (green, yellow, white, gray) and two different sizes (delta shape with standard adhesive surface, 19 × 22 cm and trapezoidal shape with twofold adhesive surface, 36 × 22cm) were compared in a walnut orchard in Alborz province. The results showed that color did not have any significant effect on the number of males captured by traps, whereas the newly made, trapezoidal trap could capture more than twice as many as a delta trap. This means that with the same number of pheromone dispensers, more than twice as many moths could be captured by trapezoidal traps than by delta traps, which could increase the efficiency of pheromone traps in an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program.   8155 Faunistic study of the subfamily Milesiinae (Diptera: Syrphidae) in Saqqez, northwestern Iran Hoseini Chnoor Khaghaninia Samad Lotfalizadeh Hossein Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Plant Protection, Tabriz University, Tabriz, Iran. Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Plant Protection, Tabriz University, Tabriz, Iran. Department of Plant Protection, East Azerbaijan province Research Center for Agriculture and Natural Resource, Tabriz, Iran. 1 12 2014 3 5 637 644 14 04 2014 22 07 2014 Specimens of the subfamily Milesiinae (Diptera: Syrphidae) were collected using sweeping net from Saqqez region, Kordestan province located in the northwestern Iran during 2012-2013. In total 25 species in 12 genera were identified. Of which Eumerus transcaspicus (Stackelberg, 1952) is reported for first time from Iran. Diagnostic characters besides supplementary photos of the new record are provided. 6672 Spatial distribution of overwintered adults of Eurygaster integriceps (Hemiptera: Scutelleridae) in wheat fields of Ardabil province Fathi Seyed Ali Asghar Bakhshizadeh Nakisa Department of Plant Protection, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran. Department of Plant Protection, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran. 1 12 2014 3 5 645 654 08 06 2013 26 07 2014 In this study, the spatial distribution of overwintered adults of Sunn pest, Eurygaster integriceps Puton, was investigated by using dispersion parameters and indices, mathematical distribution, and regression techniques in rainfed wheat fields by sample size of 1 m2 in 2009 and 2010. The dispersion parameters including: mean-variance test and clumping parameter () showed that the overwintered adults of Sunn pest population followed the negative binomial distribution pattern. Furthermore, the dispersion indices including: variance to mean ratio, Lloyd's index of mean crowding and Morisita index also confirmed the aggregated distribution pattern of overwintered adults of Sunn pest. Also, mathematical distribution and Taylor's power law () and Iwao's patchiness regression () showed the contagious distribution of overwintered adults of E. integriceps. These results can be useful in patch spraying for control of overwintered adults of E. integriceps in early season in wheat fields.   9351 Asparaginase and amylase activity of thyme endophytic fungi Masumi Sahar Mirzaei Soheila Kalvandi Ramezan Zafari Doustmorad Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran. Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran. Research Center for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Hamedan, Iran. Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran. 1 12 2014 3 5 655 662 09 10 2013 24 05 2014 Asparaginase and amylase are widely used enzymes in various industries, which can be produced by endophytic fungi. In this study, the ability of producing these two enzymes in endophytic fungi isolated from six species of Thymus has been reported for the first time in the world. Among 89 isolates of the test, 34 isolates produced asparaginase among which M24 (Fusarium subglutinans) displayed the greatest enzyme activity. Thirty three isolates showed the ability to produce amylase while the greatest enzyme activity belonged to M53 (Curvularia akaii). This study can be regarded as a preliminary work and endophytic fungi of high activity are proposed as possible resources for control of cancer in humans and for industrial applications. 11845 A Study on the identification of powdery mildew fungi (Erysiphaceae) in Ardabil landscape, Iran Sharifi Kowsar Davari Mahdi Khodaparast Seyed Akbar Bagheri-Kheirabadi Mahmoud College of Agricultural Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran. Department of Plant Protection, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil 179, Iran. College of Agricultural Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran. Department of Plant Protection, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil 179, Iran. 1 12 2014 3 5 663 671 06 10 2013 24 05 2014 The Erysiphaceae are obligatory parasitic fungi that cause powdery mildew disease of green space plants. During this study, powdery mildew fungi were collected and identified from different localities of Ardabil landscape, Iran. Erysiphe rayssiae (on Spartium junceum), Erysiphe robiniae var. robiniae (on Robinia pseudoacacia) and Euoidium cf. agerati (on Ageratum houstonianum)are new records for mycobiota of Iran. Jasminum sp. is reported as Matrix nova for Erysiphe syringae-japonicae. Also this is the first record of Golovinomyces montagnei on Cirsium arvense and Golovinomyces orontii on Antirrhinum majus in Iran. The taxa including Erysiphe astragali on Astragalus sp., Erysiphe crucifearum on Brassica elongata, Erysiphe polygoni on Rumex sp., Golovinomyces cichoracearum on Cichorium intybus and Golovinomyces sordidus on Plantago sp. are newly found in Ardabil province. Furthermore, some specimens belonging to Podosphaera fusca s.l. were assessed. According to the new species concept, concerning these taxa, Podosphaera fusca s.s. was redescribed, and Podosphaera erigerontis-canadensis on Taraxacum sp. is reported for the first time, although previously reported from Iran under the Podosphaera fusca.   11441 Ameroseiid mites (Acari: Ameroseiidae) in some parts of Iran with redescription of Ameroseius lidiae Bregetova Khalili-Moghadam Arsalan Saboori Alireza Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran. Plant Protection Department, Agricultural College, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran. 1 12 2014 3 5 673 682 09 02 2014 15 06 2014 This paper reports some species of Ameroseiidae from various habitats in different parts of Iran. Ameroseius bassolase (Vargass, 2001)has been reported from Iran, but it was a misidentification of Sertitympanum aegyptiacus Nasr & Abow-Awad, 1984. Redescription of Ameroseius lidiae Bregetova, 1977 based on female specimens is also presented.   7381 Defense reactions of the grape aphid, Aphis illinoisensis (Hemiptera: Aphididae) to parasitoid species Lysiphlebus testaceipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and Aphelinus albipodus (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) Adly Dalia EL-Gantiry Aziza Department of Biological Control, Plant Protection Research Institute, Agriculture Research Center, 7 Nadi El-Said Street, Dokki, Giza, Egypt. Department of Piercing-Sucking Insect Research, Plant Protection Research Institute, Agriculture Research Center, Egypt. 1 12 2014 3 5 683 690 05 03 2014 22 07 2014 Developmental periodsof thegrapevine aphid, Aphis illinoisensis Shimer (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on the grape, Vitis vinifera L., and its two parasitoid species, Lysiphlebus testaceipes (Cresson) (exotic) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae) and Aphelinus albipodus Hayat and Fatima (indigenous) (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) were studied at two constant temperatures (20 and 25 ± 2 oC), 70 ± 5 % R.H. and a photoperiod of 14 L: 10D. The life cycle of A. illinoisensis attained 14.7 and 7.1 days at 20 and 25 oC, respectively. The developmental period was shorter as temperature increased. Developmental time from egg to adult of L. testaceipes was shorter than that of A. albipodus Hayat and Fatima at both 20 and 25 oC. Parasitized aphids were dissected daily to determine the percentage of parasitim, number of encapsulated eggs of L. testaceipes and the number of dead larvae of A. albipodus. The percentage of parasitism of aphid by L. testaceipes was 26% and 12.5% of parasitoid eggs were encapsulated, while 52% of aphids were parasitized by A. albipodus of which 32 % was dead larvae. Therefore, A. illinoisensis has a mechanism for defense against parasitoids and it should be noted that this aphid is not a suitable host for rearing either of the two tested aphid parasitoid species in the laboratory.   2518 Morphological and molecular characterization of three species of the genus Pratylenchoides Winslow, 1958 (Tylenchina, Merliniidae, Pratylenchoidinae) from Iran Panahandeh Yousef Pourjam Ebrahim Atighi Mohammad Reza Pedram Majid Department of Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran. Department of Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran. Department of Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran. Department of Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran. 1 12 2014 3 5 691 709 05 04 2014 25 07 2014 Two species of Pratylenchoides recovered from the grasslands in Sabalan region and one species recovered from natural habitats of Tehran are illustrated based on morphological, morphometric and molecular characters. The first species, P. crenicauda is characterized mainly by its lip region with three-four annuli, lateral field with four incisures areolated throughout the length and having rod shaped sperm cells. It is further distinguished by the positions of the pharyngeal glands nuclei. P. magnicauda was found in Tehran and its morphological characters and phylogenetic relations with other species are discussed. The Iranian populations of P. variabilis are characterized by three lip annuli, stylet 20-22 µm long, four and six incisures in lateral field, rounded sperm and one of the pharyngeal glands nuclei located posterior to pharyngo-intestinal valve. The phylogenetic tree inferred from the partial sequences of D2-D3 segment of 28S rDNA revealed the three sequenced species are separate from each other and form a clade with high (1.00) Bayesian posterior probability (BPP) in Bayesian inference (BI) and 86% bootstrap support value (BS) in maximum likelihood (ML) analyses with other two sequenced species of the genus for this genomic region. 12311 Annual index 1 12 2014 3 5 710 733 29 01 2015 01 12 2014