Distribuição vertical, danos e controle cultural de Stenoma catenifer Walsingham (Lepidoptera: Elachistidae) em pomar de abacate

Abstract

-Stenoma catenifer Walsingham is the major pest in avocado groves (Persea americana Mill.) in the Neotropical region. Management has been difficult for many reasons related to the reduced knowledge on its bioecology and the avocado growing systems. The goal of this work was to study the vertical distribution of S. catenifer in avocado plants, the gagging effect of infested fruit on its survival, and the losses caused. The experiments were conducted in a commercial grove located at the São Tomás catenifer foi observada especialmente na altura inferior e média da planta, sendo que o interior da copa foi o local menos atacado quando comparado com os quadrantes norte, sul, leste e oeste. Esses resultados podem dar importante subsídio para amostragem da praga. A maior porcentagem dos frutos atacados possuía de uma a quatro lagartas, havendo casos em que foram encontrados até oito indivíduos por fruto. As perdas ocasionadas pela broca variaram ao longo do tempo, atingindo valores próximos de 5% numa única avaliação, sendo que, a perda na safra alcançou 27%. O ensacamento dos frutos infestados ocasionou a mortalidade das lagartas de S. catenifer, na avaliação realizada quatro dias depois.

Control potential of Heterorhabditis amazonensis (Rhabditida: Heterorhabditidae) in avocado borer, Stenoma catenifer (Lepidoptera: Elachistidae)

“…The studies conducted on S. catenifer refer mainly to the use of sex pheromones for adult monitoring and insect bioecology; however, little has been discussed about pest control, and these studies are limited to the use of parasitoids such as Trichogramma and Trichogrammatoidea and control by fruit bagging (Nava et al., 2006;Nava et al, 2007;Castillo et al, 2012;Hoddle et al, 2011).…”

“…Alternatives in the control of S. catenifer are fundamental to reduce the population of the pest in the field, mainly due to the difficulty in the control and use of unregistered chemical insecticides, which causes the emergence of secondary pests and cases of resistance to insecticides (Nava et al, 2005b(Nava et al, , 2006. Based on the results obtained in this study, the use of H. amazonensis MC01 can be considered as a potential tool in the control of pupae in the soil, in order to increase the control of S. catenifer in the avocado crop.…”

Larvae of Megaselia Róndani, 1856 (Diptera: Phoridae) as parasitoid of Sphingidae (Lepidoptera) and its frugivory on avocado

“…However, since M. scalaris is considered an omnivorous species and its larvae can feed on fresh or decaying fruits (Disney 2008), a further study of this scuttle fly as a possible pest of avocado trees can bring new views on the agricultural importance that this species may have, in addition to economic impacts in avocado production. Currently only Stenoma catenifer Walsingham, 1912 (Lepidoptera: Elachistidae), Aspidiotus destructor Signoret, 1869 (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) and Anastrepha striata Schiner, 1868 (Diptera: Tephritidae) are known as insect pests of avocado in Brazil (Reis & Souza 1982;Nava et al 2006;Zucchi et al 2011).…”