New Record of a Fungal Pathogen on White Peach Scale Pseudaulacaspis Pentagona (Targ. - Tozz.) (Homoptera: Diaspididae) in Bulgaria

摘要

The armored scale insect Pseudaulacaspis pentagona (Targ. - Tozz.) (Homoptera: Diaspididae) is an important agricultural pest, currently restricted to the south-west region of Bulgaria around the towns of Petrich and Sandanski. Dead insects were observed in a peach orchard near Petrich and over 200 speci- mens with evidence of fungal infection were collected in spring 2001 and 2002. It was established that fungal infections were caused by a pathogen belonging to the species Fusarium larvarum Fuckel(Nectria aurantiicola Berk. & Br., Hypocreales, Ascomycotind), which has never previously been reported from Bulgaria. The fungus has been isolated in pure culture.