6. Indicator plants for emergence and spread of Leafminer flies from genus Liriomyza

Author: Yanko Dimitrov, Nedyalka Palagacheva

DOI: n/a

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Leafminer flies are a serious threat to vegetable crops and ornamentals cultivated in greenhouses or outdoors. They are polyphagous individuals that have a wide host plant range – attacking sixty—six different plant families. Their varied diet determines their widespread distribution.
The detailed implementation of the plant protecting measures requires identifying the precise species composition and the start of the insect pest attack. For that purpose, leafminers flies and damages to vegetable crops and ornamentals were collected in the regions of Plovdiv, Rakovski, Parvomay, Perushtitsa for the period 2008-2009. The species composition was laboratory attested in the department of Entomology at Plovdiv Agricultural University. The ascertained damages have given insight into the preferred host plant families that can also be used as their determinants.
The research findings about the leafminers flies, in Bulgaria and worldwide, have produced lists of host plant families defining their food specialization and identification.