Aphids (Hemiptera, Aphididae) and their parasitoids on vegetables in greenhouses in Serbia

Abstract: Growing vegetable in a protected space (greenhouses, tunnels, etc.) offers numerous advantages over growing in the open field. In the Republic of Serbia, the area devoted to protected crops is increasing every year, especially due to climatic changes. Vegetables (green bean, pea, pepper, cucumber, potato, carrot, celery) in greenhouses are attacked by about 10 pest species of aphids. Aphids on vegetables are highly polyphagous (Aphis fabae, A.craccivora, A. gossypii, A. nasturtii, Myzus persicae, Aulacorthum solani, Macrosiphum euphorbiae) or less polyphagous (Acyrthosiphon pisum, Brevicorynae brassicae and Cavariella aegopodii). They are all cosmopolitan and efficient vectors of plant viruses. They cause serious damage to young plants and species with long growing seasons. For every species short notes on appearance in life, host plants, biology, virus transmission and primary parasitoids are given. Totally over 30 species of primary parasitoids (Aphidiidae) are regulating their abundance (e.g., Aphidius ervi, A. matricariae, Binodoxys acalephae, B. angelicae, B. heraclei, Diaeretiella rapae, Ephedrus persicae, E. plagiator, Lipolexis gracilis, Lysiphlebus confusus, L. fabarum, Praon abjectum, P. volucre). The most abundant parasitoids in Serbian glasshouses are A. matricariae, A. ervi, D. rapae, P. volucre and B. angelicae, which are commercially produced.