Determination of distribution area and natural enemies of cacopsylla pyri (L.) (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) in pear orchards of bursa province

Pear (Pyrus communis L.), which is one of the most commonly grown pome fruit types in Türkiye, is an important export product. Pear production in the Marmara Region is mostly done in Bursa province. Pear psylla (Hemiptera: Psyllidae), the pest known as Pear leafhopper, is one of the most important plant protection problems affecting yield in pear cultivation. The nymphs and adults of the pest cause direct and indirect damage to pear trees. The nymphs, which do the main damage, feed by sucking on flowers, leaves, buds and shoots and secrete a honey-like substance. It inhibits respiration and photosynthesis with the sweetish substances they secrete and creates a sooty structure (fumagin) that reduces the market value of fruits. In heavy contamination, the growth of trees stops; leaf, flower and fruit shedding, fruit deformities occur. In intensive contaminations that repeat for several years, death occurs in the branches and all of the trees. It is also known that they are vectors for some disease agents (especially fireblight disease). For this reason, it is important to take the necessary precautions in the control of the pest. In the study, it was aimed to determine the distribution area and natural enemies of the pest, and the study was carried out in the 9 districts of Bursa (Osmangazi, Kestel, Gürsu, Yıldırım, Kemalpaşa, Karacabey, İznik, Nilüfer and Orhangazi) in the years 2020-2021. The presence of the pest and natural enemies were determined by yellow sticky trap, Japanese umbrella and visual inspection method. In the study, it was determined that the orchards were contaminated with pests (100%), 13 orchards are less infested, 12 orchards are moderately, 9 orchards are heavily infested with pests, and the pest spread in all districts of Bursa where pears were grown. Especially in May and July, it has been observed that the pest is intense. Eight predator species belonging to five different families were found among the natural enemies of the pest. Identified species; Anthocoris nemoralis (F.) and Orius minutus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae), Deraeocoris rutilus (Herrich-Schäffer, 1839) (Hemiptera: Miridae), Nabis punctatus Costa, 1843 (Hemiptera: Nabidae), Adalia bipunctata, 1758), Coccinella septempunctata (L.) (Coleoptera : Coccinellidae) and Propylaea quatuordecimpunctata (Linnaeus, 1758), Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens)(Neuroptera :Chrysopidae). The most observed predatory insect species was A. nemoralis.