Abstract:

Aims: Laurel (Laurus nobilis L.) is an economically important plant that grows widely in the province of Hatay, and its fixed and essential oil is widely used in the medical and cosmetic industry. This study was carried out in order to determine the laurel pests species and their possible natural enemies, thus providing basic data for the control programs to prevent the yield and quality loss that may be caused by the pests in laurel trees. Methods and Results: This study was conducted to determine the pest species and their natural enemies in laurel in Yayladağı, Erzin, Samandağ, İskenderun, Dörtyol and Antakya in Hatay-Turkey in 2018-2019. Materials used in the study composed of branches, leaves, shoots and flowers of laurel plants and insects which were collected with different methods. Following morphological identification studies, Cacoecimorpha pronubana (Hübner, [1799] (Tortricidae); Haplothrips acanthoscelis Karnys (Phlaeothripidae), Tetraleurodes neemani (Bink-Moenen) (Aleyrodidae), Ceroplastes floridensis Comstock; Protopulvinaria pyriformis (Cockerell); Coccus hesperidum Linnaeus, 1758 (Coccidae) and Aonidiella lauri (Maskell, 1879) (Diaspididae) were determined as pest species. Exochomus quadripustulatus (Linnaeus, 1758), Chilocorus bipustulatus (Linnaeus, 1758), Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant 1853, Propylaea quatuordecimpunctata (Linnaeus, 1758), Oenopia (Synharmonia) conglobata (Linnaeus, 1758) and Nephus (Nephus) ludyi (Weise, 1897) were identified as natural enemies (Coccinellidae). Conclusions: Silviculture planting should be encouraged for production quality and to increase the production of laurel, which is an important export product. The important position of our country in exports and the fact that Hatay holds a key role at this point reveals the necessity of supporting the studies which will contribute to the production of laurel. Significance and Impact of the Study: In this study, a total of seven phytophagous pest species, one of the Tortricidae family of the Lepidoptera order, one of the Phlaeothripidae family of the Tysanoptera order; one from the Aleyrodidae family of the Hemiptera order, three from the Coccidae family and one from the Diaspididae family on laurel trees and 6 natural preditor species from the Coccinellidae (Coleoptera) family were determined.