© Benaki Phytopathological Institute
Latinović
et al
.
68
men with dorsal cross bars. The length of al-
atae ranges between 1.4 and 2.1 mm (Black-
man and Eastop, 2000).
Aphis craccivora
is associated with about
50 crops and weed species belonging to 19
plant families (i.e., Amaranthaceae, Araceae,
Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Caryophyllaceae,
Chenopodiaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Fabaceae,
Malpighiaceae, Malvaceae, Nyctaginaceae,
Pedaliaceae, Portulacaceae, Ranunculaceae,
Rosaceae, Rutaceae, Solanaceae, Sterculi-
aceae, Zingiberaceae) from which the aphid
mainly attacks Fabaceae (Blackman and Eas-
top, 2007; Kavallieratos
et al.
, 2007; Mehrpar-
var
et al
., 2012; Yovkova
et al.,
2013; CABI data
base, 2016). The species is probably palearc-
tic warm temperate in origin but it has now
a cosmopolitan distribution; it is abundant
in subtropical and tropical regions, and in
the Mediterranean. It is one of the common-
est aphid species with a high pest status in
the tropics (Blackman and Eastop, 2000).
Aphis craccivora
is generally anholocy-
clic (wingless and winged females), ovovi-
viparous. In the tropics the aphid reproduc-
es parthenogenetically throughout the year
while in areas with colder winters, overwin-
tering may be as egg or hibernation. In Eu-
rope, males (alate) and sexual forms have
been recorded in Germany (Falk, 1960). Tem-
peratures that range between 24 and 28.5°C
and 65% relative humidity (= RH) are opti-
mal conditions for the development of
A.
craccivora
(Réal, 1955; Mayeux, 1984), which
is capable of rapid population development.
Formation of winged individuals is triggered
by the reduction in the intensity of hydro-
carbon translocation (Mayeux, 1984). Young
colonies concentrate on growing points of
plants and are regularly attended by ants
(mutualism with ants) (Soans and Soans,
1971; Hamid
et al.
, 1977; Takeda
et al.,
1982;
Patro and Behera, 1991).
The spectrum of natural enemies that
are associated with
A. craccivora
is wide. For
instance, Kavallieratos
et al.
(2004, 2016) re-
ported 13 parasitoid species (Hymenoptera:
Braconidae: Aphidiinae) that parasitize this
aphid in agricultural and non-agricultur-
al ecosystems in southeastern Europe, i.e.,
Aphidius colemani
Viereck,
Aphidius matri-
cariae
Haliday,
Binodoxys acalephae
(Mar-
shall),
Binodoxys angelicae
(Haliday),
Diaer-
etiella rapae
(M’Intosh),
Ephedrus pericae
Froggat,
Lipolexis gracilis
Förster,
Lysiphle-
bus confusus
Tremblay and Eady,
Lysiphle-
bus fabarum
(Marshall),
Lysiphlebus orientalis
Starý and Rakhshani,
Lysiphlebus testaceipes
(Cresson),
Praon abjectum
(Haliday),
Praon
volucre
(Haliday). Important predators in-
clude coccinellid beetles [
Cheilomenes sex-
maculata
(F.),
Coccinella septempunctata
(L.)
(Coleoptera: Coccinelidae)], syrphid larvae
[
Ischiodon scutellaris
(F.) (Diptera: Syrphidae)]
Neuroptera larvae [
Micromus timidus
Ha-
gen (Neuroptera: Hemerobiidae)] and Dip-
tera larvae [
Aphidoletes aphidimyza
(Ron-
dani) (Diptera: Cecidomyidae)]. Spiders may
also be important in some areas (CABI data
base, 2016). Recorded fungal pathogens in-
clude
Fusarium pallidoroseum
(Cooke) Sacc.
(Hypocreales: Nectriaceae) (Hareendranath
et al.,
1987) and
Neozygites fresenii
(Nowak.)
Remaud. and S. Keller (Entomophthorales:
Neozygitaceae) (Zhang, 1987; Sewify, 2000).
Most of the major chemical groups of in-
secticides have been used against this aphid
species, including organophosphates, car-
bamates and pyrethroids (CABI data base,
2016). However, decisions concerning the
chemical treatment against
A. craccivora
should take into account the identity and
abundance of local populations of its natu-
ral enemies in the context of an integrated
pest management, so as to avoid outbreaks
of this important pest.
Literature cited
Blackman, R.L. and Eastop, V.F. 2000. Aphids on the
World’s Crops. An Identification and Informa-
tion Guide. Second Edition. The Natural Histo-
ry Museum, London, 466 pp.
Blackman, R.L. and Eastop, V.F. 2007. Taxonom-
ic Issues. In: van Emden H.F. and R. Harrington
(eds.).
Aphids as Crop Pests
. Wallingford, Oxford-
shire, pp 1-30.
CABI data base. 2016.
/
datasheet/6192.
Falk, U. 1960. Fber das Auftreten von IntermediSr-
formen zwischen oviparem und geflügeltem
