Presence of coccoid insects on Ficus nitida and the effect of three species of them on the anatomical structire of infested seedlings [electronic resource].

Includes references.

This study revealed that twenty coccoid species (presenting 12 genera and three families) infest Ficus nitida in Egypt. Four of them were recorded for the first time (i.e. Saissetia oleae (Olivier), Aonidiella citriana (Corquillett). Aonidiella aurantii (Maskell), and lcerya seychellarum (Westwood)). Rostralis length of three coccoids, Saissetia coffeae (Walker) was measured as 996.25 μ, Aonidiella orientalis (Newstead) 285.00 μ, and lcerya purchasi Maskell 2095.75 μ. Transverse sections of S. coffeae infested stems exhibited an increase in the diameter of the whole section. thickness of vascular cylinder (specially phloem tissue) and diameter of pith Thickness of both cortex and xylem tissue were decreased compared with the non infested ones. Infestation by I. purchasi showed a decrease in the diameter of whole section due to decreasing in pith diameter and thickness of cortex. while thickness of conductive tissues (i.e. xylem and phloem) was increased. The infestation by A. orientalis and I. purchasi decreased the size of leaf midrib (thickness and width), midvein (length and width) and thickness of ground tissue. The size of midvein was decreased as a result of the decrease in thickness of both xylem and phloem tissues. Thickness of infested Leaf blade was decreased due to the decrease in thickness of mesophyll tissues and multiepidermis. The infestation by I. purchasi led to disappearance of scelerenchyma cells above the vascular bundle. while thickness of phloem tissue was imcreased.

Summary in Arabic.

1