Leptoglossus occidentalis Heidemann, 1910 (Hemiptera Coreidae) in Türkiye Its distribution, life cycle, and fungal associations

OpenAlex İngilizce

In this study, the distribution, life cycle and associations with fungi of the alien invasive species Leptoglossus occidentalis Heidemann, 1910 (Hemiptera: Coreidae) in Türkiye were investigated. During the study, conducted between 2019 and 2021, the pest was found to have spread across 35 provinces in Türkiye. The biological data obtained in the study were divided into ecologically similar sub-regions (Ankara-Çankırı-Kırşehir, Artvin, Isparta-Burdur, Izmir-Aydın-Manisa-Muğla-Antalya) in order to reveal the life cycle of the species. Additionally, host plant and insect samples were examined for the presence of Diplodia sapinea (Fr.) Fuckel (pine shoot blight agent) and entomopathogenic fungi species through morphological and molecular identification methods. Consequently, it was found that Leptoglossus occidentalis has two generations in Türkiye. The timing of the first flight was in early May-mid June and the second generation was from mid-July to late August. Although Diplodia sapinea was detected in some of the sampled host plant tissues, it could not be isolated from Leptoglossus occidentalis individuals. Accordingly, it did not find any evidence that Leptoglossus occidentalis vectors Diplodia sapinea although the insect and the fungus cooccurs in sampling areas. Although it was detected 25 fungal species isolated from Leptoglossus occidentalis adults, none of them were entomopathogenic fungal species. It has been revealed that the pest has spread almost all over Türkiye and has become an important risk factor affecting seed yield and quality in coniferous species.