Agentes de controle biológico (Arthropoda - Insecta) associados ao cultivo da pinha ( Annona squamosa L.)

Abstract

Resumo: O conhecimento acerca dos agentes de controle biológico presentes naturalmente em áreas agrícolas apresenta grande importância na adoção de metodologias voltadas ao manejo integrado de pragas. Assim, objetivou-se com este trabalho realizar o levantamento da ocorrência populacional Abstract: Knowledge of biological control agents occurring naturally in agricultural areas is of great importance in adopting methods of integrated pest management. The aim of this work therefore, was to undertake a population survey of biological control agents (Insecta) associated with cultivation of Annona squamosa. The research was carried out during the 2015/2016 harvest in a conventional orchard of A. squamosa, located in the town of Tabatinga in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. The biological control agents were captured using yellow sticky traps. The following faunistic indices were calculated: dominance, abundance, frequency and constancy. Population fluctuations in the natural enemies sampled were analysed by histogram. The coccinellid predators, Scymnus sp. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and Cycloneda sanguinea (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) were the principal biological control agents sampled during the study, and considered superdominant, superabundant, superfrequent and constant. As for population fluctuation of predominant natural enemies, high population density was seen in Scymnus sp. between September and January 2015, whereas there were three population peaks for C. sanguinea during the study, in September 2015 and January and July 2016. The coccinellids, Scymnus sp. and C. sanguinea, were the predominant biological control agents in the cultivation of A. squamosa, with a higher population density for the genus Scymnus seen in the spring and summer seasons, and no distribution pattern for C. sanguinea observed.