parasitoids are inside the mummies. Nonetheless, the frequency and efficiency of the
native aphid parasitoids in the field condition, make enough sense for eliminating the
unnecessary chemical treatments, and performing local patch applications, where the
aphids and other pests are colonized. The selective aphicides (Sabahi et al. 2011;
Mardani et al. 2016) with least negative effects on the natural enemies, especially
aphid parasitoids are preferred over the broad spectrum insecticides. These practices
will certainly give enough chance to the aphid parasitoid to recover their population
and provide enough control on the aphid population below the economic injury
level. Conducting the supplementary field surveys in the various agro-ecosystems
with plant suffering from aphid infestations are necessary to clarify the status of
current natural biological control in Iran.
9.7 The Aphid Parasitoids Imported from Iran
for Biological Control of Pest Aphids
The area of Iran, because of the rich faunal and floral composition, as well as of the
respective associations of insects including aphids and their parasitoids become
doubtlessly as an outstanding area, where a number of aphids have their native
home. For this reason, many researches have been centred to search and find
potentially useful parasitoids to be used in the biocontrol of some pest aphids in
other countries, especially in the North America. Often, Iran has been covered within
a framework of search over the Central Asian and the Mediterranean area. The
definition of “Classical Biological Control - CBC” can be explained as purposeful
introduction of an exotic natural enemy of an invasive pest from its area of origin, in
order to suppress the abundance of the pest in the newly invaded region (DeBach
1964). Many aphids have known as alien species, invaded the new area together with
plant material transported for various purposes. Aphis illinoisensis Shimer is a
grapevine originally distributed in North, central and South America (Blackman
and Eastop 2006) is now widely distributed in the Mediterranean countries including
North Africa (Havelka et al. 2011). The native parasitoids (Aphidius colemani,
Aphidius matricariae and Lysiphlebus testaceipes) indicated that they are able to
successfully parasitize the aphid (Havelka et al. 2011). There are some
non-confirmed field evidences of this aphid in Saudi Arabia, too (Zubair Ahmad,
pers. com.). Many Lachninae aphids of the genera Cinara and Eulachnus achieved
the pest status in Iran in the absence of their parasitoids. It can be expected a long
history of invasion for this aphids, but the frequent chemical treatments seem to have
more disrupting effect of their endemic predatory insects and led to the occasional
outbreaks in the urban areas. There is no attempt for introduction of the aphid
parasitoids into Iran, whereas many successful species in CBC originated from
Iran. The best representative attempts for aphid biological control programs are the
search for parasitoids of alfalfa and walnut aphids in Iran (Mediterranean countries,
as well).
376
E. Rakhshani and P. Starý
native aphid parasitoids in the field condition, make enough sense for eliminating the
unnecessary chemical treatments, and performing local patch applications, where the
aphids and other pests are colonized. The selective aphicides (Sabahi et al. 2011;
Mardani et al. 2016) with least negative effects on the natural enemies, especially
aphid parasitoids are preferred over the broad spectrum insecticides. These practices
will certainly give enough chance to the aphid parasitoid to recover their population
and provide enough control on the aphid population below the economic injury
level. Conducting the supplementary field surveys in the various agro-ecosystems
with plant suffering from aphid infestations are necessary to clarify the status of
current natural biological control in Iran.
9.7 The Aphid Parasitoids Imported from Iran
for Biological Control of Pest Aphids
The area of Iran, because of the rich faunal and floral composition, as well as of the
respective associations of insects including aphids and their parasitoids become
doubtlessly as an outstanding area, where a number of aphids have their native
home. For this reason, many researches have been centred to search and find
potentially useful parasitoids to be used in the biocontrol of some pest aphids in
other countries, especially in the North America. Often, Iran has been covered within
a framework of search over the Central Asian and the Mediterranean area. The
definition of “Classical Biological Control - CBC” can be explained as purposeful
introduction of an exotic natural enemy of an invasive pest from its area of origin, in
order to suppress the abundance of the pest in the newly invaded region (DeBach
1964). Many aphids have known as alien species, invaded the new area together with
plant material transported for various purposes. Aphis illinoisensis Shimer is a
grapevine originally distributed in North, central and South America (Blackman
and Eastop 2006) is now widely distributed in the Mediterranean countries including
North Africa (Havelka et al. 2011). The native parasitoids (Aphidius colemani,
Aphidius matricariae and Lysiphlebus testaceipes) indicated that they are able to
successfully parasitize the aphid (Havelka et al. 2011). There are some
non-confirmed field evidences of this aphid in Saudi Arabia, too (Zubair Ahmad,
pers. com.). Many Lachninae aphids of the genera Cinara and Eulachnus achieved
the pest status in Iran in the absence of their parasitoids. It can be expected a long
history of invasion for this aphids, but the frequent chemical treatments seem to have
more disrupting effect of their endemic predatory insects and led to the occasional
outbreaks in the urban areas. There is no attempt for introduction of the aphid
parasitoids into Iran, whereas many successful species in CBC originated from
Iran. The best representative attempts for aphid biological control programs are the
search for parasitoids of alfalfa and walnut aphids in Iran (Mediterranean countries,
as well).
376
E. Rakhshani and P. Starý