Biological Control of Myzus Persicae (Sulzer) By Release Coccinella Septempunctata L. On Strawberry Plants Under Glasshouse Conditions

This study was carried out to evaluate the management of Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) which infesting strawberry plants  Fragaria ananassa (L.) by releasing different levels of the seven spotted lady beetle, Coccinella septempunctata L. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). This study was carried out under glasshouse conditions at two locations (Governorates), Nobariya (Behera governorate) and Perkash (Giza governorate) during season 2019/2020.    The seven spotted lady beetle, C. septempunctata was released for one time at the beginning of February on strawberryplants at the two locations at rates of 30, 60 and 90 eggs/plant. In the first level of release (30 eggs/plant), at Behera Governorate the reduction percentages in the population of M. persicae increased gradually whereas it was 21.0, 31.0, 41.0, 44.0 and 50.0% in mid-February, first-March, mid-March, first-April and mid-April, respectively. The same trend was achieved at Giza Governorate. Also, in the second level of release (60 eggs/plant), at Behera Governorate the reduction percentages in the population of M. persicae increased gradually whereas it was 27.0, 33.0, 44.0, 48.0 and 55.0% in mid-February, first-March, mid-March, first-April and mid-April, respectively. The same trend was achieved at Giza Governorate. Lastly, at the third level of release (90 eggs/plant), at Behera Governorate the reduction percentages in the population of M. persicae increased gradually whereas it was 29.0, 37.0, 41.0, 49.0 and 52.0% in mid-February, first-March, mid-March, first-April and mid-April, respectively. In addition, the same trend was achieved at Giza Governorate.

of strawberry (seedlings and fruits), The area of the plantation with strawberry seedlings both fresh seedlings and freezing seedlings in Egypt is about 21573 fed. It is divided into about 16459 fed (fresh planting) and about 5113 fed (cooled planting). Food and Agriculture Organization (F.A.O), 2017 Strawberry plants infested by a large scale of insects belong to many orders and families. Green Peach Aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) has one of the most important insects that infesting strawberry seedlings. M. persicae recently become a major insect pest of strawberries in Southern California and causes numerous damage in both quantity and quality for the crop directly by plant juice to loosen or indirectly by plant disease-transmitting John, et al. (2005). Also, Jian and Nick (2009) in California found that the Green Peach Aphid, M. persicae has emerged as a major insect pest of many horticultural crops such as strawberry in California.
The seven spotted lady beetle, Coccinella septempunctata L. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) is the commonest lady beetle known in Egypt, it is an important predator of many aphid species; eggs and small nymphs of mealybugs, jassids, eggs, and larvae of cotton leafworm (Ibrahim 1948& 1955and Bilashini et al., 2017. The adults and small stages are often encountered in large numbers on the plants infested with aphids. They feed on these harmful insects and often play a great role in suppressing them under control. Both the adult and larval stages feed on insects harmful to plants, such as aphids and scale insects (Anonymous, 1997). Adults can be killing up to 100 aphids per day (Arnett, et al., 1980). The seven spotted lady beetle, C. septempunctata lives in a wide variety of habitats, any place where there are plants and aphids may attract these species (Fleming 2000). The lady beetle kills its prey outright and then devours it (Waldbauer 1998). Under field conditions, numerous coccinellids consume nectar, honeydew, pollen, fruit, vegetation, and fungus. These non-prey foods are used by coccinellids to increase survival when prey is scarce, reduce mortality during diapause, fuel migration, and enhance reproductive capacity. Each of these non-prey foods has unique nutritional and defensive characteristics that influence its suitability for lady beetles (Lundgren 2015).
This study was carried out to evaluate the management of the green peach aphid M. persicae which infesting strawberry plants by releasing different levels of the seven spotted lady beetle, C. septempuncta and this study was carried out at two locations (Governorates), Nobariya (Behera governorate) and Perkash (Giza governorate) during season 2019/2020.

Mass Rearing Of The Seven Spotted Lady Beetle, Coccinella septempunctata L. and Its Prey The Cowpea Aphid, Aphis craccivora (Koch): 1. Mass Rearing of A. craccivora As A Prey:
Aphis craccivora is considered the most preferable prey for the mass production of C. septempunctata. A strong culture of this aphid should be available during the rearing time to maintain the predator rearing process.
The broad bean, Vicia faba seeds were planted in plastic trays (25X 40X15 cm) or foam trays (60X25X20 cm with 109 wholes) that contained peat muss. The seeds were planted at 1-2 cm deep and followed with irrigation and fertilizers as required. When the first leaflet appeared after about one week from cultivation. Bean leaves were infested with A. craccivora which distributed over the new foliage of cultivated trays. Culturing of faba bean plants and artificial aphid infestation was a continuous process carried out at weekly intervals.
The infested trays were followed until the population of A. craccivora increased and become suitable for use as prey to the lady beetle, C. septempunctata. A. craccivora colonies were cultured under laboratory conditions (23±2ºC and 60±5% R.H.) on broad beans (Vicia faba). Such leaves of beans were infested by different stages of aphids and kept under a glass chimney which its upper opening was covered with white muslin. The potted plants were irrigated and fertilized whenever necessary and kept in wooden cages (100X135X135 cm) with nylon gauze sides using the method described by (Mangoud 2003 andMahyoub et al., 2013). A. craccivora and C. septempunctata instars were originally collected from an agricultural field.

Mass Rearing of C. septempunctata:
When the population of A. craccivora increased and reached suitable density individuals (approximately 100 individuals/plant,) on faba bean plants these plants were inoculated with C. septempunctata. The stock culture of the ladybird was obtained from infested plants and transferred to the laboratory. Only 10 adults ♂+ 10 adults ♀ of ladybird (to prevent larval cannibalism) were transferred to rearing cages (30 cm diameter X 25 cm high) and kept in wooden cages (100X135X135 cm) with nylon gauze sides. To maintain the predator culture, a suitable number of the prey was daily offered to the predator (Mahyoub et al., 2013).

Egg Picking:
The method for egg-laying [black polyethylene strips fixed inside a plastic cylindrical (10 cm length X 2 cm diameter) for laying eggs and put in the rearing pots]. After laid egg-masses, they were removed from plastic cylinders to separate the egg-masses from the cylindrical plastic and to be ready to stick on the carton paper card for release. The plastic cylinder was checked twice/day for egg-masses because of the cannibalistic habits of the adults, especially when there was a shortage of host food. In order to provide the developing larva with sufficient food throughout their developmental period, it was necessary to increase the amount of food with the advancement of their development (Mahyoub et al., 2013).

Release of C. septempunctata:
Releasing study was conducted on strawberry plants which are grown in two locations (governorates), Nobariya (Behera governorate) and Perkash (Giza governorate) during season 2019/2020 under glasshouse conditions.
The selected plants for the present investigation were away from any pesticide contamination. Both in the two places, the glasshouse divided into three plots (3x5m for each) for strawberry (fresh seedlings) which were cultivated in September month 2019. Each plot for each release level and each plot also divided into three replicates for that release level and another three replicates as control. The normal release and recommended agricultural practices were applied, also no chemical control against aphid was used during the whole experimental period.
Naturally, the numbers of C. septempunctata stages were recorded. Therefore, three levels of C. septempunctata eggs; the first level consists of 30 eggs (one card), the second level consists of 60 eggs (two cards) and the third one consists of 90 eggs (three cards) were released to encouragement the normal predator population to reduce the aphid. C. septempunctata were released (one time) by the beginning of February on strawberry plants at the two places in the 2020 season.
Samples were randomly taken bi-weekly at the two places and counting started from the beginning of February in strawberry plants. Twenty new plants were examined from each plot (five leaves for each plant), were made by a hand lens for counting the alive insects and the predator and took the mean numbers. Both surfaces of the leaf were inspected for the presence of aphid (Mangoud 2000).

Statistical Analysis:
The percent reduction of The Green Peach aphid M. persicae after C. septempunctata was released was calculated according to Henderson and Tilton equation (1955).
The data were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the means were compared by L.S.D. test at 0.05 level, using SAS program (SAS Institute, 1988).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
This study was carried out to evaluate the management of Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) which infesting strawberry plants by releasing three levels (30, 60 and 90 eggs) of the seven spotted lady beetle, Coccinella septempunctata L. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). This study was carried out under glasshouse conditions at two locations (Governorates), Nobariya (Behera governorate) and Perkash (Giza governorate) during season 2019/2020.

Nobariya (Behera Governorate):
Three levels of C. septempunctata eggs; the first level (30 eggs on one card), the second level (60 eggs on two cards) and the third level (90 eggs on three cards) were released (one time) by the beginning of February 2020 on strawberry plants.

First Level of Release (30 eggs/plant):
Results in Table (

The Second Level of Release (60 eggs/plant):
Results in Table (2) and Figure (2) indicated that the number of M. persicae in the 2 nd release plot decreased gradually from 33 on the 1 st February to 27, 21, 14, 9 and 5 individuals/plant on mid-February, first-March, mid-March, first-April and mid-April, respectively as compared to control which aphid populations changed from 35 individuals/plant on first-February to 39, 45, 53, 65 and 79 individuals/plant in the same dates, respectively. The obtained results showed that the percent reduction of M. persicae in 2 nd release plot increased gradually to reach 27.0, 33.0, 44.0, 48.0 and 55.0% in mid-February, first-March, mid-March, first-April, and mid-April, respectively.

Perkash (Giza Governorate):
Also, three levels of C. septempunctata eggs; first level (30 eggs on one card), the second level (60 eggs on two cards) and the third level (90 eggs on three cards) were released (one time), by the beginning of February 2020 on strawberry plants.

First Level of Release (30 eggs/plant):
Results in Table (

Second Level of Release (60 eggs/plant):
Results in Table (

In Third Level of Release (90 eggs/plant):
Results in Table (   Statistical analysis showed that highly significant differences between the three releasing levels (30, 60 and 90 eggs/plant) of C. septempunctata predator in the reduction of M. persicae at both the two locations compared to control, whereas (F 0.05) value and (LSD) were (235.41, 1.22), (245.75, 1.42) and (235.27, 1.32), respectively for the three releasing levels (30, 60 and 90 eggs/plant) of C. septempunctata predator at Behera Governorate. Also, at Giza Governorate statistical analysis show highly significant differences between the three releasing levels (30, 60 and 90 eggs/plant) of C. septempunctata predator in a reduction of M. persicae compared to control whereas (F 0.05) value and (LSD) were (265.27, 1.44), (241.28, 1.35) and (286.33, 1.27), respectively for the three releasing levels (30, 60 and 90 eggs/plant) of C. septempunctata predator at Giza Governorate.
These results are in agreement with those obtained by Mangoud (2009) the seven spotted lady beetle, C. septempunctata is an important predator of aphids play a good role in reducing the population density of the woolly apple aphid, Eriosoma lanigerum (Hausmann) (Homoptera: Aphididae) attacking apple trees. Also, these results are in agreement with those obtained by Mangoud (2003) who stated that the seven spotted lady beetle, C. septempunctata is an important predator of aphids play a good role in reducing the population density of the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae and the cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii (Hausmann) (Homoptera: Aphididae) attacking apple trees.
Also, these results are in harmony with those obtained by Hoyt and Madsen (1960) found that the control of aphid species complex is complicated by the continued dispersal of aphids from the roots to the aerial portions of the tree, and a corresponding dispersal in the opposite direction. Brar and Kanwar (1994) in field experiments in India found C. septempunctata was an effective predator against A. craccivora infesting fenugreek germplasm. El-Aish et al. (2004) stated that the role of the predator C. septempunctata in biological suppressing of cereal aphids showed that the eggs last 2-3 days and the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th larval instars have lasted 3, 2, 2 and 4 days, respectively, the pupal stage lasted 8 days at the room temperature. The adult predator consumed 46.13 aphids, while the larval consumed 26.9 aphids daily. Fang et al. (1984) found the coccinellids, C. septempunctata good controlling B. brassicae in cotton fields at yellow River valley in China.