Aphid diversity in two food legume crops: fava bean and pea in Naciria region, and first record of Melanaphis sacchari (Zehntner, 1897) in Algeria

Abstract

Beans and peas are very important legumes because of their importance in human food and their high protein contents, as well as their role in the supply of atmospheric nitrogen to the soil. However, these crops are subject to various pest outbreaks, reducing their yield. The purpose of this study is to carry out an exhaustive inventory of aphids present on bean (Faba bean and Seville variety) and pea crops (Merveille De Kelvedone and Utrillo variety) in the region of Naciria (Boumerdes), in order to evaluate the diversity and abundance of aphids present in these crops. Sampling of aphid populations has been done using two trapping techniques: Barber pitfall trap and yellow traps. The results obtained express a richness of 48 aphid species, with one Melanaphis sacchari species identified for the first time in Algeria. 28 species are inventoried in the pea crop of Utrillo variety, 27 species on the Merveille de Kelvedone variety, 21 species in the bean crop of Seville variety (Vicia faba major) and 20 species on the faba bean (Vicia faba minor).