| In La Araucanía, the filbert aphid Myzocallis coryli (Goeze) is a pest that can cause various types of damage to hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) including reduction in nut size and nut emptiness. M. coryli can also leave hazel leaves susceptible to the fungus known as fumagina (Capnodium sp.), which causes decreased photosynthesis, particularly during the period when the tree is storing reserves for the following season. Knowledge about the natural enemies of M. coryli in Chile is in its early stages compared with other countries where the hazelnut crop is more extensive. Indeed, only 13 entomophagous predators have been recorded in La Araucanía thus far, including one Hemerobiidae, one Syrphidae, one Cecidomyiidae and ten Coccinellidae. Of this last... |
