<p>The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, caused productive disruptions in the guava production system of the municipality of Calvillo, Aguascalientes. These disruptions included delays in the application of phytosanitary management measures against weevils and fruit flies, pests of quarantine, and economic importance, due to the appearance of positive cases among operational and technical personnel. Manual harvesting, an activity that requires large crews of agricultural workers, was delayed due to labor shortages. The cost and supply of fertilizers and pesticides were also affected due to problems in the supply chains of agro-inputs. The sale price of guava in supply centers and local markets fell on average from 10.83 to 10 MN/kg during the months of highest demand due to a 60% reduction in agricultural activities. In Calvillo, the return of Mexican migrants from the US and the presence of asymptomatic cases influenced the spread of SARS-CoV-2 among the local rural community.</p>
We evaluated the damage patterns produced by females of the guava weevilConotrachelus dimidiatusChampion, 1904 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), according to the position of the damaged fruit in guava treesPsidium guajavaL. in Calvillo, Aguascalientes, Mexico. The trees were subdivided in eight zones, and during one year the level of fruit lesions due to oviposition was registered. Results showed a higher level of damage in the upper and external zone of the trees(P≤.05). We found no significant differences in damage between the four cardinal points(P≥.05). During the year, the level of damage was recorded and was higher in the months of August and September(P≤.05)associated with rainfall (0.86,P=.06) and increase in temperature (0.84,P=.03). The most susceptible fruits were in the size range of 2.1–4.0 cm (polar diameter). The information from this study will be used to design and establish effective control strategies for the guava weevil, taking into account location of the most susceptible fruits, seasonality of the pest, and the abiotic factors.
Neodiprion abietis es un dipriónido que tiene una distribución transcontinental en Norteamérica, y se alimenta del follaje de árboles de los géneros Abies, Pseudotsuga y Pinus. Una referencia de 1995 menciona la presencia de esta especie de insecto en México; sin embargo, carece de datos de ubicación. El objetivo del presente estudio fue determinar el taxón de un dipriónido que en 2016 se observó defoliando a Abies concolor, dentro del Área de Protección de Flora y Fauna Campo Verde, en Madera, Chihuahua, México. A través de exploraciones de campo realizadas en 2019, se recolectaron larvas directamente del follaje de sus hospedantes; además, de un adulto en el follaje y varios capullos en el suelo. Las larvas fueron confinadas en jaulas entomológicas y se alimentaron con follaje de sus hospedantes, hasta que tejieron sus capullos. La cría de los insectos se completó introduciendo los capullos a una cámara de crecimiento que se mantuvo a una temperatura de 26 ±2 ºC, con un fotoperiodo de 14:10 luz: oscuridad, hasta la obtención de adultos. La determinación de la especie se realizó mediante la observación de las características morfológicas externas y del ovipositor, basados en claves taxonómicas especializadas e ilustraciones de referencia de fuentes científicas. Los especímenes examinados correspondieron a N. abietis, lo cual confirma su presencia en el norte de México.
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