The First Record of the Cotton Mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera: pseudococcidae) as A new Insect Pest on Tomato, Peper, Eggplant, Maize Plants and Population Density at Fayoum Governorate in Egypt.

Cotton mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley was recorded as a new pest for the first time attacking three important vegetable crops and another important field crop in Egypt, especially at Fayoum Governorate in two districts. P. solenopsis was recorded  on tomato, eggplant, pepper and maize during growing summer plantation 2016 from July till September, at Fayoum Governorate, in Egypt. Specimens of insect mealybug pests were collected from the four crops from two locations (Fayoum and Itsa didricts). The mealybug was identified as P. solenopsis according to taxonomic key of this genus and species in the Scale insects and Mealybugs Department, Plant Protection Research Institute, PPRI, ARC. .
Population density of P. solenopsis was done during field work season. Results of density showed that tomato plants infected with a high numbers P. solenopsis  by mean 15.3 and 15.4 individuals/ plant and has one peak in the first week of August by mean 35 and 39 individuals/plant, for Fayoum and Itsa districts, respectively.  But the other two crops such as, eggplant and pepper infected with a few numbers of this pest by mean (5.2 & 7.8 individuals/ plant) and (4.5 & 6.5 individuals/ plant) for the first and second crop, for Fayoum and Itsa districts, respectively.  There was one peak in the second week of August by mean (15 & 20 individuals/ plant) for eggplant and (14 &15 individuals/ plant) for pepper, for Fayoum and Itsa districts, respectively. While in maize a very few numbers occurred it by mean (1.4 & 2.8) individuals/plant, and has one peak during the second week of August, being (5 & 8 individuals/ plant), for Fayoum and Itsa districts, respectively. Statistical analysis of data showed that, there were highly significant differences between the two locations cultivated by tomato crop, but no significant between the same location cultivated by eggplant and pepper crops. On other hand, there was a significant difference between the two locations cultivated by maize crop and significant differences between (eggplant+ pepper) and maize. This study was represented the first record of P. solenopsis as a new pest attacking three important vegetable crops and another important field crop in Egypt, especially at Fayoum Governorate