Myzus (Nectarosiphon) persicae (Sulzer, 1776)

Morphological characters

1.2-2.5 mm.
Apterous: light green to yellowish green; frontal tubercles convergent, cornicles very slightly swollen, quite long and light-coloured.
Alate: light green, on abdomen dark patch notched laterally and perforated; frontal tubercles prominent and convergent, antennae long and pigmented except at base of segment III, cornicles long, dark and swollen (on secondary hosts), cauda digitate.

See identification file

Life cycles

Dioecious holocyclic.
Anholocyclic (where primary host is absent or in region with mild winter climate).

Host plants

Primary hosts:Prunus persica (peach) and other Prunus.
Secondary hosts: about 50 plant families including Solanaceae, Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Apiacea and Cucurbitaceae.

Agronomic impact

M. persicae is one of the most dangerous species. It is extremely harmful to numerous plants cultivated in open field and sheltered conditions (greenhouse, tunnel).
This species leads to direct damage owing to its production of honeydew, the development of sooty mould and crinkling of leaves under the effect of saliva (photo of damage on nectarine plant).
M. persicae transmits numerous viruses that depend on the persistent mode: beet mild yellow (BMYV), pea enation mosaic (PEMV) viruses,and potato leaf-roll virus (PLRV), and also some dependent on the non-persistent mode: cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), lettuce mosaic (LMV) and potato virus Y (PVY).

Natural enemies

Parasitoids :

• Aphelinus abdominalis
• Aphelinus asychis
• Aphelinus mali
• Aphidius colemani
• Aphidius ervi
• Aphidius matricariae
• Aphidius picipes
• Binodoxys angelicae
• Diaeretiella rapae
• Ephedrus cerasicola
• Ephedrus persicae
• Ephedrus plagiator
• Lysiphlebus confusus
• Lysiphlebus fabarum
• Praon staryi
• Praon volucre