Investigations on the biological control activities of the İzmir Regional Directorate of Forestry

In this study, the biological control studies in the forests which connected with Izmir Regional Directorate of Forestry are mentioned. In the region, three methods are used to combat forest pests: biological, biotecnical and mechanical. Chemical control methods have not been used since 2012.In recent years, it is concentrated on the biological control by making use of other living organisms and successful results have been achieved. Different biological methods of combating insects and diseases that damage our forests are being used in many parts of our country. The forest of Izmir Regional Directorate of Forestry which has successful references were chosen as the research area. And it was investigated on site. In Izmir forests, it was observed that different control methods were put into practice according to the months since August, when the pine processionary moth began to lay eggs as butterflies. It was determined that the methods were applied successfully: these are the biotechnical control methods by the pheromone in delta-type sticky traps in August, the mechanical control methods by collecting egg-batches in September-October, the biological control methods by hanging bird nests in November-December, the mechanical control methods by collecting pouches in December-April, the biological control methods by Islet and Wire Mesh methods in February, the biological control methods by releasing into the forest of the predator beetle Calosoma sycophanta that are produced in the Laboratory for Biological Control of Forest Pests in Izmir in March-April. It was seen in the records that the laboratory was established and the studies were started in 2020 in Alankıyı, which is affiliated to Bayındır Forest Management Directorate, Bayındır Forest sub-district Directorate, for the production of Torymus sinensis, which is proven efficient method that is the parasitoid of the chestnut gall wasp Dryocosmus kuriphilus, which reduces fruit yield by 80% by forming gall formation in the bud of chestnut tree. In the first application, a total of 660 Torymus sinensis adults produced between 04.05.2022 and 10.05.2022 were released at the points where these galls were seen. On 11.05.2023, approximately 900 Torymus sinensis adults were released in chestnut groves where gall formation was observed in Çomaklar Neighborhood of Beydağ District, which is determined for the second release. Ooencyrtus pityocampae, which is one of the important egg parasitoids of the pine processionary moth (Thaumetopoea wilkinsoni) that causes damage in the region, is also one of the egg parasitoids of Leptoglossus occidentalis, which is thought to play a significant role in the inefficiency of pine (Pinus) in recent years. It was observed that these parasitoids (Ooencyrtus pityocampae eggs) were first released in Bergama-Kozak Karaveliler on 01.06.2022. Also, it was determined that diseased samples were taken from chestnut forests especially in İzmir and Muğla provinces, hypovirulent production was made in laboratories in Bolu and Artvin and their inoculations (applications) were made in affected zones. In addition to these, it was understood that birds and ants (Formica rufa), which are among the general natural enemies of harmful insects regardless of species, were also used in biological control studies