Effects of natural enemies on Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley population Maize plants in Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate, Egypt

In Egypt, maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most important cereal crops. Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley is a significant insect pest that infests economically significant plants, with its population dynamics closely linked to its natural enemies' activities. In order to investigate the cotton mealybug P. solenopsis population fluctuations, and the effect of some ecological factors on it experiments were carried out on a maize field in Sidi Salem District, Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate, Egypt, for two consecutive seasons, 2021and 2022. P. solenopsis population density nymph and adult were highest on July 24th with 312 nymphs and 71 adults, and highest on 25th and 15th July and with 406 nymphs and 92 adults, respectively. During the first and second season, the highest peak of the parasitiod A. arizonensis was on 24th of July (33 and 49 individuals / sample). There is high significant correlation between the nymph of P. solenopsis and A. arizonensis in both season of the study. During this study there were three predators (Chrysoperla carnea, Scymnus sp. And C. undecimpunctata) associated with P. solenopsis. According to statistical analysis, there is a significant relationship between P. solenopsis nymphs and adults and Scymnus sp. in both seasons. When compared to natural enemies, multi-regression analysis revealed that the combined impact of meteorological conditions had a less effect on P. solenopsis nymph and adult stages. Also, multi regression shows the combined impact of both biotic and abiotic elements on the nymph and adult stages of P. solenopsis reached 94.66 and 78.99 during the first season and reached 94.28 and 84.00% during the second season.