Molecular characterization of peach (Prunus persica L.) pest aphid (Hemiptera: Aphidoidea) populations in Tokat province

This thesis study was carried out in order to determine the peach pest aphid species in Tokat province in the years 2020-2021. In this context, the peach orchards, which are approximately 15 km away from the center of Tokat, were visited. Aphid samples from 14 populations were collected from the leaves of peach trees in 8 different localities. Species identification was performed both morphologically and by DNA barcoding method based on the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene region. As a result of these studies, aphids collected from peach trees belonging to different populations were identified as Brachycaudus (Appelia) prunicola subsp. schwartzi (Börner, 1931) that belongs to the family Aphididae of the Aphidoidea superfamily. This peach pest aphid species is a new record for Tokat province. Additionally, COI gene sequence of the species B. (Appelia) prunicola subsp. schwartzi from Turkey was determined for the first time in this study. It is thought that this study will contribute to effective control of the peach pest species detected in this region.