Biology of Pseudophacopteron pusillum and Pseudophacopteron eastopi (Hemiptera- Psylloidea: Phacopteronidae), pest of Dacryodes edulis (Burseraceae) in Yaounde, Cameroon

Abstract

Dacryodes edulis (Burseraceae) is an important plant native from Central Africa. In Cameroon, it is cultivated in almost all regions for economic, medicinal and nutritional purposes. D. edulis is visited by four psyllid species: Pseudophacopteron serrifer, P. tamessei, P. eastopi and P. pusillum. Those psyllids cause important damages on their host plant, necessitating to put in place an integrated pest control against them. The aim of this survey is to study the biology of P. pusillum and P. eastopi on D. edulis in the nursery, which is helpful for an integrated pest management. The study was carried out from April 2011 to March 2012 through daily observations. It is observed that the two psyllid species are sharing different sites on their host plant to lay eggs. The eggs hatching and develop through five instar larval stages before become adult. The fertility, adult life span, sexual maturity, and the developmental duration of each instar larva were determined.