Contarinia gossypii Felt (Diptera: Cecidomyildae) NEW PLAGUE OF COTTON
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Abstract
Malformations of flower buds and squares followed by a drop of structures, and in many cases by necrosis caused by Pseudomonas sp., were observed during the 1983-1984 cotton growing season. Symptoms were observed on the top third of eighty days old cotton plants. Losses were estimated at 700 Kg/ha. of cottonseed. The problem was associated with a pinkish larva that feeds on the androgens; up to 185 of these larvae were counted in a square of six mm in diameter; the mature larvae are 2 mm long. The insect was identified as Contarinia gossypii Felt. The larvae leave. the structure by means of a characteristic jump and pupate few millimeters beneath the soil surface, where it is difficult to find them. The pupae are of the object type, dark, 1.2 mm long, and protected by a Silke cocoon. The adults are topic cecidomyds with very long antennae and legs and covered by dense dark hairs, that give them the appearance of grayish midges. They are approximately 1-2 mm long. Laboratory observations indicate that the emergency occurs in the late afternoon. As a natural enemy was found a platygasterid parasite larvae. Up to now, cotton has been the only plant found as host for this pest. C. gossypii larvae were collected in cotton fields in a widespread area of Córdoba during February-April 1984.
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