Host weed species of Cassida palaestina Reiche, 1858 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in Siirt province

Abstract

This study was conducted to identify the host weed species of Cassida palaestina in Siirt Province and to assess its potential as an herbivorous biological control agent against these weeds. Field surveys were conducted during the 2024–2025 growing seasons at 26 locations in the Siirt city center and Kurtalan district, encompassing agricultural fields, fallow lands, roadsides, and degraded pastures. During the surveys, plant species exhibiting feeding damage by C. palaestina and those hosting its eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults were recorded. Taxonomic experts confirmed the identification of both insect and plant species. The findings revealed that C. palaestina primarily feeds on Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn. and Notobasis syriaca (L.) Cass., successfully develops, and completes its life cycle on these host plants. Population density was notably higher on N. syriaca. Adult beetles caused irregular feeding holes on the leaves, whereas larvae produced characteristic “windowing” damage by scraping the lower leaf epidermis. High insect densities caused extensive feeding damage to leaf tissues, significantly reducing the photosynthetic area and consequently leading to a marked suppression of vegetative growth in the host plants. This study records S. marianum and N. syriaca for the first time in Türkiye as primary host plants of C. palaestina, while the identification of N. syriaca as a host plant represents the first record worldwide. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that C. palaestina has the potential to serve as an effective biological control agent for weed suppression. However, further studies on its host specificity, population dynamics, and potential effects on non-target organisms are required before it can be safely and effectively used in biological control programs.

Keywords

• Biological control
• herbivore
• new host record
• Silybum marianum
• Notobasis syriaca
• Türkiye

Cassida palaestina Reiche, 1858 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)’nın Siirt İli’ndeki konukçu yabancı otları

Abstract

Bu çalışma, Cassida palaestina'nın Siirt ilindeki konukçu yabancı otlarını belirlemek ve bu yabancı otlar üzerindeki herbivor potansiyelini değerlendirmek amacıyla yürütülmüştür. Arazi sürveyleri, 2024–2025 vejetasyon dönemlerinde Siirt il merkezinde ve Kurtalan ilçesinde bulunan tarım alanları, nadas alanları, yol kenarları ve bozulmuş meralarda toplam 26 lokasyonda gerçekleştirilmiştir. Sürveyler sırasında, C. palaestina’nın beslenme zararı oluşturduğu ve yumurta, larva, pupa ile ergin dönemlerinin bulunduğu bitki türleri kaydedilmiştir. Hem böcek hem de bitki türlerinin teşhisi taksonomi uzmanları tarafından doğrulanmıştır. Elde edilen bulgular, C. palaestina'nın özellikle Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn. ve Notobasis syriaca (L.) Cass. üzerinde beslendiğini, gelişimini sürdürdüğünü ve yaşam döngüsünü bu konukçu bitkiler üzerinde tamamladığını ortaya koymuştur. Popülasyon yoğunluğunun özellikle N. syriaca üzerinde daha yüksek olduğu belirlenmiştir. Ergin bireylerin yapraklarda düzensiz beslenme delikleri oluşturduğu, larvaların ise alt epidermisi kazıyarak karakteristik “pencereleşme” tipi zarar meydana getirdiği gözlenmiştir. Yüksek böcek yoğunluğuna maruz kalan bitkilerde, yaprak dokusunda meydana gelen yoğun beslenme zararı fotosentetik alanı önemli ölçüde azaltmış ve bunun sonucunda konukçu bitkilerin vejetatif gelişiminde belirgin bir gerileme (baskılanma) gözlenmiştir. Bu çalışma, S. marianum ve N. syriaca bitkilerini Türkiye’de ilk kez C. palaestina’nın konukçu bitkileri olarak kaydetmekte olup, N. syriaca’nın konukçu bitki olarak belirlenmesi dünya ilk kayıt niteliği taşımaktadır. Sonuç olarak, bu çalışma C. palaestina'nın yabancı otların baskılanmasında potansiyel bir herbivor olduğunu göstermektedir. Ancak bu türün biyolojik mücadele programlarında güvenli ve etkili bir şekilde kullanılabilmesi için konukçu özgüllüğü, popülasyon dinamikleri ve hedef dışı organizmalar üzerindeki etkilerinin ayrıntılı olarak araştırılması gerekmektedir.

Keywords

• Biyolojik mücadele
• herbivor
• yeni konukçu kaydı
• Silybum marianum
• Notobasis syriaca
• Türkiye

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