Effect of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi on the Demographic Parameters of Myzus Persicae (Sulzer, 1776) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) Mediated by Pepper Plant Under Laboratory Conditions

Abstract

The green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer, 1776) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), has a broad host range including pepper plants and causes significant economic losses worldwide. The effectiveness of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in inducing plant immunity against pests has recently been tested on various plant insect pests. This study aims to investigate the impact of AMF colonization on the demographic characteristics of M. persicae feeding on the Demre type pepper cultivar. AMF (Glomus spp.) was ensured to colonize the pepper plant roots and the experiments were carried out in the climate room with plant growth LEDs under 25 ± 2 °C, 65 ± 5 RH and 16:8 light:dark conditions. As a result of daily counts, raw data on the aphid biology were analyzed in the Two-sex MSChart program. The findings indicated that AMF application did not result in any statistically significant differences in the biological and life table parameters of M. persicae. Furthermore, similar results were obtained when the results were compared with the control in the 45-day population simulation. Determining the AMF-plant-insect interactions with different plant species and insect species will make a significant contribution to increasing the success of biological control and preserving the natural balance.