Oligostia Walker was reported on Arboridia kermanshah Dlabola eggs from Urmia,
Paracentrobia Howard on Sesamia nonagrioides Lefebvre and Uscana Girault on
Caryedon acaciae Gyllenhal eggs both in Khuzestan province respectively
(Mostaan and Akbarzadeh-Shoukat 1995). There are evidences that show some
other genera exist in Iran but because of small size and difficulty in collecting and
identifying have been neglected (Ebrahimi 2004).
Unfortunately, a serious challenge in faunistic studies on Trichogrammatidae in
Iran and evaluation of contribution of each species in natural control of hosts is
turbulence caused by augmentative releases, which may perturb both richness and
evenness of species in a region. Release programs often neglected natural role of the
parasitoid reservoirs and probable impacts of the released individuals on the already
established fauna. Before and after release, evaluations are needed in this regards
(van Driesche and Bellows 1996).
First time, Afshar in 1938 noticed the importance of Trichogramma in pest
control and the possibility of mass production of them in Iran (Behdad 1996).
Then in the 70’s, following to invasions of the C. suppresalis to Northern provinces,
two species of Trichogramma, were introduced from Germany by Dr. Nikjou who
neglected rich native fauna of Trichogramma spp. in broad Iranian plateau. Rearing
efforts was begun immediately and restricted areas in Northern Iran were treated by
inundative release during 1976–1978 (Ebrahimi 2004).
So far, 11 species of Trichogramma have been identified in Iran by using
morphological characteristics as well as enzymatic analysis (Shojai et al. 1988,
1990; Ebrahimi 1996; Kahani 1998; Ebrahimi et al. 1998; Alizadeh et al. 2002;
Poorjavad 2011, 2012; Mahrughan et al. 2015). The species are as below:
Trichogramma brassicae Bezdenko, T. embryophagum Hartig, T. pintoi
Voegelé, T. evanescens Westwood, T. sembilidis (Aurivillius), T. tsumokave
Sorokina, T. principium Sugonjaev & Sorokina, T. euproctidis Giraulf,
T. ingricum Sorokina, T. cacoeciae Marchal, T. dendrolimi Matsumura.
Identification of Iranian trichogrammatids by foreign experts has been questionable in some cases. For example, Agamy and Hassan (see Ebrahimi 2004) have been
diagnosed T. poliae Nagaraja and T. minutum Riley from Tehran, while these species
are rather known as Oriental and Australian fauna and Nearctic and Oriental fauna,
respectively and these diagnoses may need further revision.
The most abundant species collected in different regions is Trichogramma
brassicae Bezdenko. In fact, anywhere one can find some Trichogramma specimens, this species will be present. T. brassicae has higher density in flat and dry
areas. This species so far reported from northwestern (Zanjan, East and West
Azarbaijan, Ardabil), northern (Guilan, Mazandaran, Golestan), central (Markazi,
Alborz, Tehran, Isfahan, Yazd), northeastern (Khorasan) and Western (Shahr-e
Kord) provinces (Shojai et al. 1990; Ebrahimi et al. 1998; Ebrahimi 1999, 2004;
Fig. 6.2). Therefore, T. brassicae is the most important and best biocontrol agent for
management of some serious insect pests in Iran (Shojai et al. 1998; Ebrahimi 2004).
Ease of access to the T. brassicae has caused this species to be used in most
augmentation and release programs. Ebrahimi et al. (1998) collected T. brassicae
from C. pomonella, Lobesia botrana Denis and Schiffermüller (Tortricidae),
6 Egg Parasitoids: Chalcidoidea with Particular Emphasis on Trichogrammatidae
201
Paracentrobia Howard on Sesamia nonagrioides Lefebvre and Uscana Girault on
Caryedon acaciae Gyllenhal eggs both in Khuzestan province respectively
(Mostaan and Akbarzadeh-Shoukat 1995). There are evidences that show some
other genera exist in Iran but because of small size and difficulty in collecting and
identifying have been neglected (Ebrahimi 2004).
Unfortunately, a serious challenge in faunistic studies on Trichogrammatidae in
Iran and evaluation of contribution of each species in natural control of hosts is
turbulence caused by augmentative releases, which may perturb both richness and
evenness of species in a region. Release programs often neglected natural role of the
parasitoid reservoirs and probable impacts of the released individuals on the already
established fauna. Before and after release, evaluations are needed in this regards
(van Driesche and Bellows 1996).
First time, Afshar in 1938 noticed the importance of Trichogramma in pest
control and the possibility of mass production of them in Iran (Behdad 1996).
Then in the 70’s, following to invasions of the C. suppresalis to Northern provinces,
two species of Trichogramma, were introduced from Germany by Dr. Nikjou who
neglected rich native fauna of Trichogramma spp. in broad Iranian plateau. Rearing
efforts was begun immediately and restricted areas in Northern Iran were treated by
inundative release during 1976–1978 (Ebrahimi 2004).
So far, 11 species of Trichogramma have been identified in Iran by using
morphological characteristics as well as enzymatic analysis (Shojai et al. 1988,
1990; Ebrahimi 1996; Kahani 1998; Ebrahimi et al. 1998; Alizadeh et al. 2002;
Poorjavad 2011, 2012; Mahrughan et al. 2015). The species are as below:
Trichogramma brassicae Bezdenko, T. embryophagum Hartig, T. pintoi
Voegelé, T. evanescens Westwood, T. sembilidis (Aurivillius), T. tsumokave
Sorokina, T. principium Sugonjaev & Sorokina, T. euproctidis Giraulf,
T. ingricum Sorokina, T. cacoeciae Marchal, T. dendrolimi Matsumura.
Identification of Iranian trichogrammatids by foreign experts has been questionable in some cases. For example, Agamy and Hassan (see Ebrahimi 2004) have been
diagnosed T. poliae Nagaraja and T. minutum Riley from Tehran, while these species
are rather known as Oriental and Australian fauna and Nearctic and Oriental fauna,
respectively and these diagnoses may need further revision.
The most abundant species collected in different regions is Trichogramma
brassicae Bezdenko. In fact, anywhere one can find some Trichogramma specimens, this species will be present. T. brassicae has higher density in flat and dry
areas. This species so far reported from northwestern (Zanjan, East and West
Azarbaijan, Ardabil), northern (Guilan, Mazandaran, Golestan), central (Markazi,
Alborz, Tehran, Isfahan, Yazd), northeastern (Khorasan) and Western (Shahr-e
Kord) provinces (Shojai et al. 1990; Ebrahimi et al. 1998; Ebrahimi 1999, 2004;
Fig. 6.2). Therefore, T. brassicae is the most important and best biocontrol agent for
management of some serious insect pests in Iran (Shojai et al. 1998; Ebrahimi 2004).
Ease of access to the T. brassicae has caused this species to be used in most
augmentation and release programs. Ebrahimi et al. (1998) collected T. brassicae
from C. pomonella, Lobesia botrana Denis and Schiffermüller (Tortricidae),
6 Egg Parasitoids: Chalcidoidea with Particular Emphasis on Trichogrammatidae
201