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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Gainesville, Florida » Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology » Insect Behavior and Biocontrol Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #378167
Research Project: Improved Biologically-Based Tactics to Manage Invasive Insect Pests and Weeds

Location: Insect Behavior and Biocontrol Research

Title: Biological control:A major component of the pest management program for the invasive coconut scale insect, Aspidiotus rigidus Reyne,in the Philippines

Author
item ALMARINEZ, BILLY JOEL - De La Salle University
item BARRION, ALBERTO - De La Salle University
item NAVASERO, MARIO - University Of The Philippines Los Banos
item NAVASERO, MARCELA - University Of The Philippines Los Banos
item CAYABYAB, BONIFACIO - University Of The Philippines Los Banos
item CARANDANG IV, JOSE SANTOS - De La Salle University
item Legaspi, Jesusa
item WATANABE, KOZO - Center For Environmental Science In Saitama
item AMALIN, DIVINA - De La Salle University

Submitted to: Insects
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/21/2020
Publication Date: 10/30/2020
Citation: Almarinez, B.M., Barrion, A.T., Navasero, M.V., Navasero, M.M., Cayabyab, B.F., Carandang Iv, J.R., Legaspi, J.C., Watanabe, K., Amalin, D.M. 2020. Biological control:A major component of the pest management program for the invasive coconut scale insect, Aspidiotus rigidus Reyne,in the Philippines. Insects. 11(11):745. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects11110745.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/insects11110745

Interpretive Summary: The coconut scale insect caused a major pest outbreak in coconut plantations in the Philippines between 2010 and 2015. Parasitoids that prey on coconut scale insect can contribute as a management tool as a component for Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for this pest insect. Scientists in the Philippines at De La Salle University, in collaboration with scientists at the USDA-ARS, Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology, Tallahassee, Florida, evaluated the efficacy of a naturally occurring native parasitoid as a biological control agent for the coconut scale insect. Thirteen sites from 3 provinces in the southern Tagalog region of the Philippines were surveyed for the coconut scale insect pest and the native parasitoid. Results indicated an increase in the percentage coconut scale insect parasitism by the parasitoid of up to 97% during the sampling period. This suggests that the natural biological control of the coconut scale insect by the native parasitoid may be an important component of the IPM program of this major coconut pest insect.

Technical Abstract: The coconut scale insect, Aspidiotus rigidus Reyne, caused a major pest outbreak in coconut plantations in the Southern Tagalog region of Luzon Island in the Philippines between 2010 and 2015. Biological control through the use of parasites is one of the management tools for integrated pest management of insect pests. Scientists in the Philippines at De La Salle University, in collaboration with scientists at the USDA-ARS, Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology, Tallahassee, Florida, evaluated the efficacy of a naturally-occurring native parasitoid, Comperiella calauanica, in controlling the coconut scale insect. From August 2014 - June 2016, thirteen sites from 3 provinces in the southern Tagalog region were surveyed for the coconut scale insect pest and the native parasitoid. Results indicated an increase in the percentage parasitism of the coconut scale of up to 97% during the sampling period. This suggests that the natural biological control of the coconut scale insect by the native parasitoid may have contributed to the management of this major pest in this region by 2016.