Full Length Research Paper

Determination of heteroptera species on canola plants in Hatay province of Turkey

Nihat Demirel

Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Mustafa Kemal University, 31034 Hatay - Turkey. E-mail: ndemirel@mku.edu.tr.  Tel: 90 (326) 245 58 45.

Accepted 29 September, 2009

   Abstract

Canola (Brassica napus L.) is an important oil crop grown for animal feed, oil and biodiesel. Aim of this research was to determine Heteroptera species on canola in Hatay province of Turkey. Twenty-one (21) species belonging to Miridae, Pentatomidae, Lygaeidae, Rhopalidae and Scutelleridae families were identified. Distribution of a total of 1431 adults according to the families and species was as follow: Miridae (1010), Exolygus gemallatus (472), E. rugulipennis (254), Adelphocoris lineolatus (246), E. pratensis (36), Acetropis carinata (1) and Calocoris nemoralis (1); Pentatomidae (235), Eurydema ventrale (140), Holcostethus vernalis  (33), E. ornatum (26), Dolycoris baccarum  (16), Carpocoris pudicus  (10), C. purpureipennis (5), C. fuscispinus (2), Eysarcoris inconspicuus  (1), E. fabricii (1) and Nezara viridula (1); Rhopalidae (114) Liorhyssus hyalinus (101),  Rhopalus subrufus  (11) and Corizus hyosciami  (2); Lygaeidae (71) and Nysius cymoides (71); Scutelleridae (1) and  Odontotarsus robustus (1). Adults of species belonging to Miridae (70.5%), Pentatomidae (16.4%), Rhopalidae (7.96%), Lygaeidae (4.96%) and Scutelleridae (0.069%) were determined in whole sampling sites and all of the canola varieties. Additionally, nymphs belonging to Miridae (79.7%), Pentatomidae (19.4%) and Lygaeidae (0.8%) families were identified.  Miridae was the highest followed by Pentatomidae, Rhopalidae and Lygaeidae; Scutelleridae was the lowest in the whole sampled areas and all canola varieties. Exolygus gemallatus (472), E. rugulipennis (254) and A. lineolatus (246) belonging to Miridae had the highest population densities, especially increasing after the flower stage of canola and reaching the maximum levels at the pod stage.

Key words: Canola (Brassica napus L.), heteroptera, Hatay.