USAMVB Timisoara Multidisciplinary Conference on Sustainable Development 20 -21 May 2021

FIRST REPORT OF THE APHIS NERII SPECIES BOYER OF FONSCOLOMBES (: : ) IN ROMANIA Ramona ȘTEF, Alin CĂRĂBEȚ, Ioana GROZEA, Răzvan ȘTEF, Ana-Maria VÂRTEIU, Molnar LEVENTE VÂRTEIU, Molnar LEVENTE, Dan MANEA 1 Banat’s University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine “King Mihai I of Romania” Timisoara, Romania

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to report the presence of a new pest on the territory of Romania. The new species identified is Aphis nerii (Boyer de Fonscolombe, 1841), also known as oleander or milkweed aphid, is included in the Order Hemiptera, Suborder , Family Aphididae. The origin of the species is uncertain, although it is attributed as an area of origin the Mediterranean Basin, considered the area of origin of the main host plant (Oleander - oleander). Aphis nerii is a cosmopolitan species (Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Australia-Oceania, South America. Milkweed are also present on the European continent, being a relatively new species, most reports being recorded after 2013. The presence of milkweed aphid in Europe can be associated with the introduction of the invasive species syriaca. Aphis nerii is a polyphagous species, attacking ornamental, cultivated and spontaneous plant species from 16 families (, Fabaceae, Caricaceae, Crassulaceae, , Solanaceae, Rutaceae, Compositae, , Vitaceae, etc.). The observations made on the Romanian territory, in 2020, highlighted the presence of the species Aphis nerii on the plants of (common milkweed). The damage caused by aphid milkweed is expressed by the qualitative depreciation of the plants, the stagnation of the plant growth, the production of honey dew and improving of the installation of phytopathogenic fungi. The information presented, regarding polyphagism and damage caused by Aphis nerii, is enough to conclude that it is necessary to study this species in Romania, to establish the spread, host plants, damage caused as well as to investigate control methods. • Introduction Aphis nerii Boyer de Fonscolombe is commonly known as oleander aphid or milkweed aphid and feed on various plants of family Prezența speciei Aphis nerii pe teritoriul României Apocynaceae [Blackman RL and Eastop VF., 2000; Martel JW and Malcolm SB., 2004]. Aphis nerii is cosmopolitan in its distribution and reported from different parts of world [Lazzari SMN, De Carvalho RCZ., 2006]. According to Blackman and Eastop [2006] this aphid is First reporting of Aphis nerii in Romania distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. This aphid species was reported to infest more than 50 plants species [Holman J., 2009]. Tsitsipis et al. [2007] reported the distribution of A. nerii on different crops in Greece. Mushtaq et al. [2013] reported Aphis nerii on Brassica, wheat, vegetables, fodder crops from According to literature, the species Aphis nerii is a polyphagous, Faisalabad, Pakistan and reported that this species was restricted to attacking plant species from 16 botanical families. The most common winter season with 5% distribution among all the collected aphid species are leander and Asclepias syriaca. The observations made in species. Incidence of A. nerii on four milkweed species and associated this study highlighted the presence of the species Aphis nerii, in predators was reported by [Bukovinszky T. At al.,2014]. Romania only on Asclepias syriaca plants. Milkweed aphids colonize the upper and lower surface of the leaf and fruits. • Material and method In August 2020, as a result of monitoring activities of the species Asclepias syriaca, we found this new insect species. Monitoring studies of the invasive species Asclepias syriaca have been conducted in several counties. The establishment of geographical coordinates was done using GPS. The organs attacked by this hemipteran were collected and transported to the Laboratory of Diagnosis and Phytosanitary Expertise within the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Banat "King Mihai I of Romania" in Timisoara. By studying the insect with a binocular magnifying glass and comparing it with data from the literature, we came to the Colonies of Aphis nerii on the leaf blade and fruits of Asclepias syriaca conclusion that the species is Aphis nerii also known as Milkweed

aphids. Winged adult Exuvia-larva-adult Winged adult

Fungal infection

• Results and discussions Following the observations made in the field, it was established that Conclusions the species Aphis nerii is present in three counties in Romania: Sibiu, • The present investigation was the first report of Aphis nerii, in Mureș and Satu-Mare. The sites where milkweed aphids have been Romania on Asclepias syriaca. Tough do its polyphagism of this aphid reported have the following geographical coordinates: Sibiu – it is recommended to continue the monitoring of the species to Târnava (46.121578°/24.282171°; 46.120037°/24.277772°); Mureș establish the host plants range and expansion. - Căpâlna de Jos (46.243007°/ 24.128583°); Satu Mare - Resighea (47.597443°/22.278754°).