Revista Colombiana de Entomología

Natural enemies of mealybugs (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Pseudococcidae and Putoidae) associated with coffee roots in Colombia

Zulma Nancy Gil — 2023-03-17

Some species of Pseudococcidae and Putoidae (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) are important pests of coffee roots in many parts of the world, for their management the biological control is an alternative; therefore, a search and identification of natural enemies of mealybugs attacking coffee roots in Colombia were carried out in eight coffee producing departments. Mealybug samples from 520 farm sites were collected, fixed in alcohol, cleaned, sorted, and separated by color and size. 120 specimens of natural enemies were found in 44 farm sites parasitizing mealybugs of the families Putoidae and Pseudococcidae. Caldas department presented the highest percentage of farm sites with parasitoids with 15.3%, followed by Antioquia with 14.1%, Cauca with 13.8, Valle del Cauca with 10.4%, Tolima with 4.2%, Risaralda with 3.8%, and finally Quindío with 1.2%. Subsequently, 20 of the farm sites in which parasitism was detected were visited again and mealybugs were collected and transported alive to the laboratory. From the scale insects kept in the rearing chambers 28 adult parasitoid wasps, i.e. Aenasius caeruleus Brues, 1910, Aenasius bolowi Mercet, 1947, Aenasius tachigaliae (Brues, 1922), Aenasius af. mitchellae Noyes and Ren, 1995, Zarhopalus putophilus Bennett, 1957, Hambletonia pseudococcina Compere, 1936, Hambletonia sp., Prochiloneurus af. dactylopii (Howard, 1885), Leptomastix sp., Cicoencyrtus sp. (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) and five adult cecidomyid: (Diptera Cecidomyiidae) emerged. Two species of coccinellids (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and an antagonistic fungus Trichoderma sp. were also recorded. From these findings, it is concluded that there are several species of natural enemies that are naturally controlling mealybugs that infest coffee roots. It is necessary to explore an augmentation biological control approach.

Sustainable control measures of IPM of the cereal leafminer Syringopais temperatella Led. (Lepidoptera: Scythrididae): Short-term effect of tillage system

Ihab Ghabeish — 2023-01-03

Syringopais temperatella Led. (Lep., Scythrididae) is a serious threat of barley and wheat in Jordan as it causes a great loss in crop. There is a growing interest in the development of innovative control strategies aiming to minimize the environmental impact of pest management and improve the safety of the agro-food chain. However, little attention has been paid on the use of cultural control methods against the pest, accordingly, this study aimed at investigating the effect of tillage system in controlling S. temperatella in Jordan. The study was conducted in Karak Governorate during the 2019-2020 cropping season with four tillage types; no-tillage, moldboard, disk and chisel plows. Furthermore, three soil depths (15, 30 and 45 cm) were evaluated for each plow type. Data on the infestation percentage, number of larvae, plant height, grain yield weight, straw biomass, and soil moisture were recorded. Results revealed that pest infestation and number of larvae were significantly the lowest in moldboard plow followed by disc plow and chisel plow, and then in no-tillage. In addition, the pest infestation and number of larvae decreased significantly with increasing plowing depth. Plant height, grain yield, straw biomass and soil moisture were significantly higher when the moldboard plow was used, followed by chisel plow, disc plow, and then no-tillage; likewise, they were increased significantly with increasing tillage depth up to 45 cm. In conclusion, it is suggested to use the conventional tillage at a depth closed to 45 cm instead of no-tillage especially when a moldboard plow used.

Medium supplemented with insect pupae powder to induce growth of Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium robertsii and the pathogenicity of Metarhizium robertsii

Adara Graciano-Obeso — 2023-03-20

The use of insect cuticle is a viable option to induce the growth of entomopathogenic fungi. Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf) and Heliothis virescens (Hv). Pupal powder was obtained, which was added to enrich the Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) culture medium at concentrations of 0.25, 0.5 and 1 %. The powder was used to induce the radial growth of Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium robertsii. The lethal time (TL) of M. robertsii induced at a concentration of 108 spores/mL and a PDA control. Larval mortality was analyzed by ANOVA and a Tukey test (α = 0.05). The fat content of Sf was 49.9 % and that of Hv 41.9 %; the extract free of nitrogen (ELN) 21.3 and 32.0 %; proteins 15.7 and 13.5 %, and energy 517.87 and 493.73 (Kcal/g), respectively. Nutrients and energy had inducer effect on the growth of M. robertsii with 1 % Sf and Hv pupal powder, reaching 75.5 and 74.2 mm of radial growth and 60 mm in the PDA control. B. bassiana with Hv 0.5 % 55 mm and with Sf 0.25 %, 50 mm and in the PDA control 32.5mm (α = 0.05). M. robertsii induced with Sf causing 91.6 % mortality of Sf larvae and 66.6 % in PDA, at seven days (α = 0.05). The supplementation of the insects increased the growth of the fungi in PDA medium, this contributed to the pathogenicity of the induced strain of M. robertsii on S. frugiperda.

A population of Frankliniella insularis (Franklin) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) associated with Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) (Fabaceae) flowers in Panama

Randy Atencio-Valdespino — 2023-04-19

Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) (Fabales: Fabaceae) is used as a live fence and fodder for cattle in Panama. It has flowers that provide shelter and food for various species of insects, mainly thrips (Thysanoptera) that are associated as pests of crops of the Cucurbitaceae and Solanaceae families, which justifies the present study. The study was conducted in the Pacific of Coclé in Panama during the rainy period of December 2021, until the dry period of March 2022, which is associated with plant flowering. For this purpose, 10 localities were chosen in a 103 km stretch where G. sepium plants are established as live fences, selecting in each locality a tree from which four flowers were taken, which were placed in glass vials with 70 % alcohol to collect the thrips present every fifteen days. The captured thrips specimens were prepared in fixed slides for their respective identification with available dichotomous keys and the captured specimens were registered to obtain their total and sex. The results of the samplings indicate the presence of populations of Frankliniella insularis (Franklin) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in the flowers of G. sepium. This species is considered a pest of species of the Fabaceae and Rutaceae families that as a result of climate change and the geographic expansion of its host plants, as is the case of G. sepium, could potentially acquire a primary pest status in agroecosystems and crops sensitive to food security in different regions of the country.

Biology of Copturomimus hustachei Kissinger, 1957 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), a stem and branch borer of avocado (Persea americana) in Colombia

Julián Moreno-Gaviria — 2023-04-28

The genus Copturomimus Heller, 1895 is distributed in Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Panama, and includes some species that in their larval stage bore into stems and branches of Persea americana Mill. In Colombia, the associated species to the damage of avocado stems and branches in commercial crops and nursery plants has traditionally been identified as Copturomimus perseae Hustache, 1947; however, the valid name of the species is Copturomimus hustachei Kissinger, 1957. In order to update the information on this species in Colombia, the biological cycle on branches of avocado cv. Lorena was determined, and its habits and developmental stages were described. The total time from egg to adult emergence was 86.78 ± 25.41 days. The duration of developmental stages was 9.29 ± 1.22 days for the egg, 66.18 ± 10.86 days for the larval development and 13.08 ± 3.99 days for the pupa; adult longevity ranged between 15 and 49 days. Description of the habits, developmental times of the biological cycle and photographic documentation provided can contribute to improve the diagnosis of C. hustachei to generate management schemes for its populations in avocado crops.

Infestations of the coffee berry borer, Hypotenemus hampei (Coleoptera: Scolitydae) in coffee-growing areas of the State of Mexico, Mexico

Aurelio Pérez Constantino — 2023-05-09

Currently, the coffee berry borer (Hypotenemus hampei) is the most economically important pest of coffee cultivation and is present in most of the coffee growing areas of the world. In Mexico it is found in all coffee producing states, in municipalities catalogued as "Zones under phytosanitary control" by the Servicio Nacional de Sanidad, Inocuidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria (National Service of Health, Safety and Agroalimentary Quality). Its attack reduces the harvest yield and affects the quality of the bean. In the state of Mexico since 2017 it had only been reported in one of its eight municipalities with coffee production. In order to detect the presence and distribution of the pest, trapping and sampling of the CBB was carried out on farms in the coffee-growing region in the south of the state of Mexico. As a result, in November 2021 it was found present in a plot in the locality of Rincón del Cristo in the municipality of Sultepec and in March 2022 it was found in the locality of Las Joyas in the municipality of Amatepec. In both municipalities, sampling in previous cycles carried out by the SENASICA coffee program had not detected the presence of the pest. Considering the probable absence of natural enemies, the lack of knowledge of the insect's management and control in the region by coffee growers, the rapid distribution and infestation, and the damage to production and bean yield, it is considered necessary to give priority to this new phytosanitary condition reported in this study.