Influence of Various Host Plants on Population Density of the Citrus Mealybug Planococcus citri Risso at Mansoura District

The current study was carried out at the experimental farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Mansoura University, as well as at various gardens affiliated with the university, located in Egypt, to assess the population density of the common mealybug Planococcus citri on the ficus trees, Ficus nitida, the red sage, Lantana camara, and the Brazilian pepper trees, Schinus terebenthifolius during two successive years, 2021/22 and 2022/23. During the first year, the highest average numbers (141.5 and 3565.0 individuals/sample) of P citri was recorded on Ficus trees and Red sage trees during October, 2021, respectively, while the highest number (554.3 individuals/sample) was recorded during November, 2021 on Barazilian pepper trees. In contrast, the lowest numbers per sample was recorded during February 2022 which represented by 59.0, 584.0 and 169.0 individuals, respectively. During the first and years, the citrus mealybug P. citri attracted more to Red sage trees than Barazilian pepper trees and Ficus trees. The annual average numbers were 1748.8 ± 144.22, 326.6 ± 22.98 and 107.8 ± 3.91 individuals/sample, respectively during the first year and 1061.8 ± 39.43, 319.1 ± 21.71 and 100.9 ± 2.01 individuals/sample, respectively during the second year. The mean numbers of P. citri significantly differed among host plants and seasons of each year of the study.