Aphid (Hemiptera) species on lettuce field in east mediterranean region of Turkey and research towors on their control methods

This study was carried out to reveal the reasons of extreme insecticide usage for aphid management at lettuce production areas in East Mediterranean Region and to develop solution for this problem. As a result of this study, seven different aphid species were determined namely, Aphis gossypii Glover, Aulacorthum solani (Kaltenbach), Hyperomyzus lactucae (L.), Myzus persicae (Sulzer), Nasonovia ribisnigri (Mosley), Rhopalosiphum nymphaeae (L.) and Pemphigus bursarius (L.) (Hemiptera: Aphididae). While Nasonovia ribisnigri was the most abundant among these species, infestation rate of all aphid species for all lettuce production areas was calculated as 32.6%. Metasyrphus corollae (Fabr.) (Diptera:Sryphidae) and Sphaerophoria scripta (L.) were determined as important biological control agents on lettuce aphids, but the most important and hopefull agent was Fusarium sp., entomopathogen fungi. Amoung active ingredients named Thiomethoxam, Spirotetramat, Pymetrozine used against lettuce aphids, the first two ones have to be applied before closing heart of the lettuce plant. Thus, pest population can be limited under the economical incury level.