Occurrence of inter-species hybrids in natural populations might be evidence of gene flow between species. In the present study we found evidence of gene flow between two sympatric, genetically related scale insect species--the citrus mealybug Planococcus citri (Risso) and the vine mealybug Planococcus ficus (Signoret). These species can be distinguished by morphological, behavioral, and molecu...

The vine mealybug (VM), Planococcus ficus (Signoret), is an Afrotropical species, whose worldwide populations probably originated from the Mediterranean basin. It was introduced to the Americas during the second half of the 20th century (Ben-Dov 1994; Gill 1994). Until the early 1980s, this pest was frequently misidentified as the citrus mealybug, Planococcus citri (Risso), as both Planoccocus ...

Beneficial eukaryotic-bacterial partnerships are integral to animal and plant evolution. Understanding the density regulation mechanisms behind bacterial symbiosis is essential to elucidating the functional balance between hosts and symbionts. Citrus mealybugs, Planococcus citri (Risso), present an excellent model system for investigating the mechanisms of symbiont density regulation. They cont...

The citrus mealybug, Planococcus citri, is an important plant pest with a very broad plant host range. P. citri is a phloem feeder and loss of plant vigor and stunting are characteristic symptoms induced on a range of host plants, but P. citri also reduces fruit quality and causes fruit drop leading to significant yield reductions. Better strategies for managing this pest are greatly needed. RN...

the ovipositiomil behaviour and success of anagyrus pseudococci (girault), an encyrtid endoparasitoid of mealybugs, planococcus citri (risso) and pseudococcus affinis (mask.) were studied in the laboratory. behavioural sequences during oviposition starting from the searching for the host to the post-oviposition activities were described. once encountered, the mealybug host was examined and ...

The sequence of the genome of "Candidatus Tremblaya princeps" strain PCVAL, the primary endosymbiont of the citrus mealybug Planococcus citri, has been determined. "Ca. Tremblaya princeps" presents an unusual nested endosymbiosis and harbors a gammaproteobacterial symbiont within its cytoplasm in all analyzed mealybugs. The genome sequence reveals that "Ca. Tremblaya princeps" cannot be conside...

Mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) are pests constraining the international trade of Brazilian table grapes. They damage grapes by transmitting viruses and toxins, causing defoliation, chlorosis, and vigor losses and favoring the development of sooty mold. Difficulties in mealybug identification remain an obstacle to the adequate management of these pests. In this study, our primary aim was ...

Under laboratory condition the developmental periods of Cryptolaemus montrouzieri was reduced to an extent 22.7 days at 35°C when fed with Planococcus citri while it maximum (39.0 days) 20°C. The adult longevity ranged from 47.4 51.2 25°C and less (37.6 for both sexes. number eggs laid per female (328.5) feeding potential (182.6 nos) were 30°C than 20°C 35°C.

Stable endosymbiosis of a bacterium into a host cell promotes cellular and genomic complexity. The mealybug Planococcus citri has two bacterial endosymbionts with an unusual nested arrangement: the γ-proteobacterium Moranella endobia lives in the cytoplasm of the β-proteobacterium Tremblaya princeps These two bacteria, along with genes horizontally transferred from other bacteria to the P. citr...