Population dynamics and damage caused by the leafminer Liriomyza huidobrensis blanchard (Diptera: Agromyzidae), on seven potato processing varieties grown in temperate environment

Abstract

-The leafminer Liriomyza huidobrensis Blanchard is considered a key pest for potatoes in Argentina. Population dynamics and leaf damage caused by the leafminer on seven selected potato processing varieties were assessed at Balcarce during the 2002 and 2003 growing seasons. Adult population dynamic was monitored using yellow sticky traps, while leaf damage (punctures and mines) was assessed using a damage index scale from low to severe. Liriomyza huidobrensis adults were present throughout the growing season and the population increased along crop development. The same was true for all varieties regarding larval damage, being low on early crop stages and severe late in the season. Varieties were grouped in two different categories according to damage scale index. Shepody, Kennebec, Frital and Innovator showed a higher damage index when compared with Santana, ranger russet and russet Burbank, which exhibited a lower damage. Moreover, it could be assumed that damage was related to the foliage greenness, with light green colored varieties (Shepody, Kennebec, Frital and Innovator) being more attractive and affected by L. huidobrensis.

The Invasive Liriomyza huidobrensis (Diptera: Agromyzidae): Understanding Its Pest Status and Management Globally

“…Conversely, no correlation between oviposition preference and larval performance was found in a study covering a different set of hosts and using a different population of the leafminer (Martin et al 2005c). Preference for particular cultivars within a host species has also been shown by L. huidobrensis populations from southeastern Buenos Aires, where females consistently preferred certain potato cultivars over others for both feeding as well as oviposition (López et al 2010). However, intraspecific host ranking was weaker in the laboratory, suggesting that external factors were mediating the preferences observed in the field (López et al 2016).…”

“…Additionally, these researchers showed that yellow trap catches were 5–9 times fewer than actual field landings, as observed by foliage green bucket traps. However, a pattern of leafminer damage advancing inward from the field edge (Carmona et al 2003), as well as vertical stratification of the damage have been observed in potato crops in Argentina and Peru, with L. huidobrensis females placing a larger number of eggs on leaves of the basal layer compared with the middle and upper layers (Facknath 2005, López et al 2010, 2016). Seasonal variation of leafminer adult population showed a relatively slow increase during the vegetative growth and a rapid and sustained augmentation during flowering and formation of berries, followed by a decline as plants entered into plant yellowing/early maturity and senescence (Mujica 2016a).…”

“…In Argentina, an IPM approach has been advocated (although not yet implemented) for L. huidobrensis on potato and tomato crops in Buenos Aires province (Vincini and Carmona 2006), with studies considering population dynamics of the pest and its main parasitoids, calculation of economic damage thresholds, efficiency of yellow sticky traps, and the use of cultivar resistance, based on plant traits such as foliage coloration (López et al 2010) or egg extrusion capability (Videla and Valladares 2007). …”

“…Argentina : Liriomyza huidobrensis was originally identified from Buenos Aires Province (Blanchard, 1926), and since then it has been recorded in other central and northern areas of the country, including the provinces of Córdoba, Entre Ríos, Jujuy, La Pampa, Santa Fe, Tucumán (Valladares 1984, López et al 2010). Damage varies between crops and localities, where it has been recorded on 40 different crops (Valladares et al 1999, 2011).…”

Host feeding experience affects host plant odour preference of the polyphagous leafminer Liriomyza bryoniae

“…Polyphagous agromyzids, which include the tomato leafminer, Liriomyza bryoniae (Kaltenbach), have a very broad host range. They cause yield losses in tomatoes, celery, potatoes, beans, cucumbers, and other vegetables, as well as in cotton and ornamental plants in many countries (Ledieu & Helyer, 1985;Foster & Sanchez, 1988;Rauf et al, 2000;Lopez et al, 2010;Nadagouda et al, 2010). The host range of L. bryoniae currently includes 119 plant genera in 31 families (Pitkin et al, 2010).…”