Molecular identification of Comstockaspis perniciosa and its associated Aphytis parasitoid in apple orchards of Kazakhstan

Background

Comstockaspis perniciosa (Comstock, 1881) is one of the most destructive quarantine pests of fruit crops, posing a serious threat to commercial orchards and natural populations of wild apple trees. Despite its widespread distribution, information on the molecular genetic characteristics of this species in Central Asia remains limited.