فهرست مطالب حسین کیشانی فراهانی

Calcium is an important nutrient element for tomato plant, which its deficiency leads to sensitivity to environmental and biotic stress. Helicoverpa armigera is a major agricultural pest, which causes severe yield lose and increases the cost of pest control annually. The current research carried out to study relationship between calcium deficiency of tomato fruits and the infection rate offruits to H. arimigera in two regions of Qazvin province, Abgram and QleShohad area during 2015 cropping season. According to the obtained results, a positive relationship between calcium deficiency and infection rate of fruits has discovered. Calcium deficient fruits were more susceptible to H. arimigera. Also it was found that by increasing fruit size and weight, infection rate to H. arimigera has been decreased, whereas deficiency of calcium in the fruits has been increased. The Highest infection rate was observed during fruit setting, while the highest deficiency rate observed during coloring of fruits. According to the results, it seems that calcium deficiency has an important role in tomato fruit worm damage level. On the other hand, managing plants nutrition with appropriate nutritional requirements at the right time can reduce infestation rate to tomato fruit worm.

Learning new cues in all branches of biological organisms, ranging from unicellular organisms to mammals, occurs in different ways. In spite of their small size and short life span, insects have an extraordinary ability to learn, memorize and use environmental cues associated with the hosts and their food sources. Having the ability to learn and recalling the cues associated with the presence of prey / host is a key factor that increases the performance and foraging capacity of biocontrol agents including the ichneumonid parasitoid wasp Venturia canescens which is one of the most important parasitoids of the family Pyralidae in the world. In this research the learning ability of V. canescens in presence of peppermint and lemon odors was investigated by Y- Olfactometer. Results showed that the wasp had no significant preference towards peppermint or lemon, but after conditioning the female wasp, a meaningful difference was observed between her response to the conditioned odor (peppermint) and unconditioned odors (lemon). Her memory's lasting period continued for 27 hours after conditioning in the absence of the learned cues. Recognizing the learning ability and memory retention of the biocontrol agent V. canescens helps improve the efficiency of its application in biological control programs.

Greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Hom.: Aleyrodidae), causes economic damages in most of agricultural areas, which several natural enemies are restricting its damage. Among its natural enemies, Encarsia formosa (Hym: Aphelinidae) role in its population control is undeniable. Chemical pesticides can affect several various aspects of natural enemies’ biology. In the current research effects of three insecticides, Buprofezin, Pyriproxyfen and Fenpropathrin on host preference and functional response of E. formosa was studied. Wasps were exposed to insecticides by using leaf disc method. Experiments were carried out under controlled conditions, 26 ± 1 ºC, 60 ± 5 RH and 16:8 (: D). According to obtained results parasitized hosts, third instar, were not significantly different in control and Buprofezin treated wasps (P > 0.05) and also between control and Pyriproxyfen treated wasps (P > 0.05). However control wasps significantly parasitized more hosts than Fenpropathrin treated wasps (P

Various factors may lead to pesticide efficiency increment, and adjuvant may be considered as the most important one. Spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, is a key pest in greenhouse especially on cucumber. Its damage and control measures involve high expenses annually. This research was conducted to study the effect of Dioctyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate as an adjuvant, dispersing and wetting agent, to evaluate the effects of hexythiazox (Nisoron® EC 10%) on T. urticae in greenhouses of Chah Akrami and Ashkezar, in Yazd province during the years 2013 and 2014. This experiment was performed based on randomized complete block design under greenhouse condition with 5 treatments including hexythiazox with recommended dosage (100ml/100L) as control, hexythiazox (5% dosage reduction)ǘꧭ, hexythiazox 10% dosage reduction) Adjuvant, hexythiazox (15% dosage reduction) Adjuvant and hexythiazox 20% dosage reduction) Adjuvant. Dioctyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate (Adjuvant) was used with recommended dosage (75 ml/100 L). Sampling was done after 1, 2, 3, 7, 10, 15 and 21 days after spraying. hexythiazox treatment as control showed significantly more efficiency at the initial sampling intervals (95.93±0.8; 97±0.57 in Chah Akrami and Ashkezar respectively), but dropped over time. According to the present results Dioctyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate application showed significant effects on efficiency increment (25% compared to recommended dosage of hexythiazox after 15 days), dosage reduction (15%) and duration of hexythiazox efficiency.

Learning host or prey-related olfactory cues may lead to increase efficiency and foraging capacity of biocontrol agents such as Trichogramma egg parasitoid wasps in nature. The egg parasitoids, Trichogramma species (Hym., Chalcidoidea, Trichogrammatidae), are most commonly and important biocontrol agents that have successfully been utilized against several lepidopteran pests, especially through inundative releases. Worldwide, over 32 million hectares of agriculture and forestry have been treated annually with Trichogramma for controlling various insect pests. Wolbachia is endosymbiotic bacterium induces parthenogenesis in Trichogramma wasps and producing female offspring. This research was conducted to study learning ability of Wolbachia infected T. brassicae to Lemon and Peppermint odors by wind tunnel under controlled conditions. According to obtained results, wasps showed significant difference in responses to conditioned and unconditioned odors. Memory duration of conditioned wasps lasted till 12 hours after conditioning. Odor learning ability recognition of biocontrol agents such as T.brassicae may result in increment of their efficiency in applied biological control programs.

The carob moth, Ectomyelois ceratoniae zeller (Lep.: Pyralidae) is the most important pest of pomegranate orchards in Iran. This current research was carried out to study the biology of Venturia canescens Gravenhorst (Hym.: Ichneumonidae) as one of its larval parasitoids. Laboratory studies were conducted on the immature developmental time, adult longevity, functional response, parasite progeny production and host stage preference of V. canescens. At 25 ± 1 ˚C, the immature developmental time (egg to adult) was 31.06 ± 0.59 d, 27.9± 0.86 d and 22.86 ± 0.3d for third, fourth and fifth host age respectively. Adult females survived on the average 15.87± 0.31, 11.77± 0.21, and 4.07± 0.14, 2.7± 0.14d at 25 ˚C when provided with honey and water, honey only, water only or no food source, respectively. Female V. canescens typically oviposited into higher larval stages, with significantly more fifth than the third or fourth instars parasitized. Logistic regression indicated a type II functional response on the fifth host larval age. The oviposition activity peak ooccured on the 8th day following emergence and when provided with honey and 10% sucrose solution. The results finally revealed that the fifth host larval age may constitute the best stage for mass production of the parasitoid.

Carob moth, Ectomyelois ceratoniae Zeller (Lep.: Pyralidae) is considered as the most important pest of pomegranate in Iran causing serious damages up to 80% at pre and post harvesting stages. In this study larval parasitoids of carob moth were collected from three regions of production sites of pomegrante namely: Varamin, Qom, and Saveh during 2007. Eight species were collected from Varamin, 7 species from Qom and 4 collected from Saveh. The braconid, Apanteles myeloenta Wilkinson was the most prevalent species among the collected parasitoids which could be found in all the sites of study. The emergence peak of parasitoids occurred at the end of the cropping season (September). Parasitism started in Varamin from Aug., being continued until Oct. It prevailed from July until Oct in Qom and from Aug. until Oct. in Saveh. The highest diversity of parasitoids and the most parasitism percentage level was observed in Varamin. The highest percentage of fruits attacked by E. ceratoniae was found in the near harvest, period, starting in Oct. The percentage of infested fruits in the agricultural season was approximately 69.25% in Varamin, 47% in Qom and 56.25% in Saveh during October. This is the first report of parasitism of carob moth larvae by all species belonging to Ichneumonidae, Chelenus sp. (Hym.: Braconiade) and Fischeria bicolor (Dip.: Tachinidae) in the world. According to the obtained results, diversity of parasitoids and parasitism percentage of carob moth larvae is so considerable that many further studies on their control, and the conservating methods of the valuable natural treasures that can fall prey to them should be conducted.

In the course of study on larval parasitoids of carob moth, Ectomyelois ceratoniae Zeller (Lep.: Pyralidae), an hyperparasitoid wasp, Pachycrepoideus vindemmiae Rondani, was collected from pupae of Apanteles sp. (Hym.: Braconidae). The latter species is the larval parasitoid of the carob moth. The P. vindemmiae belongs to the family Pteromalidae and is a new record for Iran insect fauna.

A study on larval parasitoids of carob moth, Ectomyelois ceratoniae Zeller, in pomegranate orchards in Ghale-Cham, Qom province and Tarom-e-sofla, Zanjan province was carried out in 2006-2007. Two species of fly parasitoids belonging to the family Tachinidae were collected and identified as Fischeria bicolor Robineau-Desvoidy and Clausicella suturata Rondani. The latter species is newly recorded from Iran.