85-87


 

 

85

M .S. Abdul Rassoul and F . I . Aziz 
Bull. Iraq nat. Hist. Mus. 
(2001) 9 (3): 85-87 
 

New record of ground pearls, Porphyrophora tritici (Bod.) (Homoptera, 
Margarodidae) as a pest of wheat in Iraq 

 
 

M. S. Abdul-Rassoul* and F. I. Aziz** 
* Iraq Natural History Museum, Baghgdad University, Iraq. 

** Jerash University, College of Agriculture and Science, Jordan. 
 

Abstract 
    The ground pearls, Porphyrophora tritici (Bod.) is a new insect pest on wheat recorded for 
the first time from Mousl Province, North of Iraq. 
 
    Wheat Triticum aestivum is one of the most important crops in Iraq. It is attacked by 
several insect pests of which the most important one is the Sunn  pest Eurygaster integariceps 
Puton (Hemiptera, Scutelleridae). During spring, 1993, wheat plants of Mousl farms were 
reported to be damaged by heavy attack of unfamiliar insects. These insects were observed 
infesting roots and lower parts of the plant. Specimens of these insects were collected and 
passed to the first author for determination from Dr. F. I. Aziz of the Department 
Entomology, General Body of Plant Protection, Ministry of Agriculture. 
 
    A survey of the literature concerning wheat pests, shows that there are two species of 
ground pearls, Porphyrophora tritici (Bod.) and Porphyrophora polonica (L.) distributed 
throughout the wheat and barely growing areas of western and central Asia (Miller,1991).  P. 
tritici has been originally described from Turkey by Bodenheimer (1941), it is also reported 
from Iran by Gentry (1965).  
    In Syria , the species P. polonica was reported by Gentry (1965), while         P .tritici was 
reported by Duran (1971). The presenet specimens of ground pearls were in agreement with 
the description of Bodenheimer (1941) for the species P. tritici  . Since this species has not 
been previously known to be occur in Iraq (Bodenheimer, 1943, 1944; Derwesh, 1965 and Al-
Ali, 1977). It is believed to be the first  record for Iraq.   It is most probably that it transmitted 
to Iraq from neighboring countries .  
    Observation on the nature of damage by ground pearls showed that the female oviposite in 
the soil close to wheat roots. The eggs hatch into young nymphs attached themselves to the 
roots of wheat during its seedling stage. The infestation of wheat root results in stunting and 
loss of yield due to the constant sucking of plant sap by the nymphs and adult females and 
may finally lead to death.  
   Eggs of ground pearls of P. tritici are very small, red in colours , found in the soil inside a 
cottony masses or sacs near the roots of the host-plants. 
    The first instar nymph is small, red in colour, 0.5-2.0 mm. in length, found on the roots at 
base of the host plants. It has five segmented antenna, and the legs are terminated in a single 
claw. The second instar nymph is enclosed in hard waxy cases, red or purple in colour, with 
particles of soil adhering to them, measuring 3-5 mm. in diameter, found at the base of the 
host-plant. 
    Adult female is oval in shape, red in colour and measuring 5-6 mm. in length. Adult male 
was not seen here. 

 

 Short communication 



 

 

86

New recorded of pearls , Porphyrophora tritici 

LITERATURE CITED 
Al-Ali, A.S. 1977. Phytophagous and Entomophagous Insects and Mites of Iraq.   Nat. Hist. 

Res. Cent. Pub. No. 33; 142 pp. 
 
Bodenheimer, F. S. 1941. Seven new species of coccidae from Anatolia. Rev. Fac. Sci. Univ. 

Istanbul (B) 6: 65-84. 
 
------------------------  1943.A first survey of the Coccidae of Iraq.    Direct. Gen. Agri. 

Baghdad, Bull. No.28, 33pp. +  9pp. Arabic Abst. 
 
------------------------  1944. Additions on the Coccidae of Iraq, with descriptions of two new 

species. (Hemiptera – Homoptera ).    Bull. Soc. Fouad L er Ent. Egypt, 28: 
81-84.  

 
Darwesh, A. I. 1965. A preliminary list of identified Insects and some arachnids of Iraq.    

Direct. Gen. Agr. Res. Proj. Baghdad, Bull. No. 121, 133pp.   
 
Duran, M. 1971. Investigations on ground pearls ( Margarodes (Porphyrophora) tritici 

Bodenheimer), a grain pest in central Anatolia. Bitki Koruma Bulteni vol.1, 
Suppl.1 (in  

Turkish with English summary). 
 
Gentry, J. W. 1965. Crop insects of Northeast Africa- Southwest Asia. U.S. D. A. Agr. 

Handbook,  No. 273, ii+  210pp.  
 

    
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 



 

 

87

M .S. Abdul Rassoul and F . I . Aziz 
Bull. Iraq nat. Hist. Mus. 
(2001) 9 (3): 85-87 
 
 

  Porphyrophora tritici (Bod.)تسجيل جديد لآللىء االرض 
 كآفة على الحنطة في العراق

  
  **و فاروق ابراهيم عزيز * محمد صالح عبد الرسول 

  معة بغداد ـ العراقمتحف التاريخ الطبيعي ـ جا*
  جامعة جرش ـ كلية الزراعة و العلوم ـ االردن**

  
  الخالصـة

آفة حشرية جديدة على   Porphyrophora tritici (Bod.)آلىلء االرض      
  . احلنطة ُتسجل الول مرة يف املوصل ، مشال العراق