Survey of the Current Distribution Areas of Cassida Species Detected on Centaurea behen L. in Hakkari Province in Turkey with Maxent Model

One of the most important causes of climate change is chemical inputs used in agricultural areas. The use of biocontrol agents to control weeds, which cause serious yield losses in production, constitutes an alternative to herbicides. This study was carried out to determine the distribution areas of Centaurea behen and the Cassida species on it in Hakkâri and its districts. Surveillance studies were carried out in terms of host plants and biocontrol agents at 170 sampling points to represent the region. In 65 (38%) of the examined locations, C. behen was encountered and five different Cassida species (C. palaestina, C. pannonica, C. rubiginosa, C. sanguinosa and C. strejceki), one of which was endemic, were detected feeding on it. In this study, the spatial distribution of hosts and biological agents in Türkiye under the current climate was estimated using the MaxEnt model. As a result, it was revealed that C. behen and Cassida species may have wider spatial distribution areas than the locations recorded in the literature. Cassida rubiginosa, C. sanguinosa and C. palaestina species were the highest in terms of population and frequency of occurrence of biocontrol agents detected on C. behen in the region. In addition, C. strejceki, an endemic species for Türkiye, was identified as the first host plant of C. behen in this study. Cassida strejceki may be a potential biocontrol agent since it was detected only on C. behen in the region.

File:Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus) - Kristiansand, Norway 2021-08-12.jpg - Wikimedia Commons