ABSTRACT
Some species of spider mites belonging to the Tetranychidae family are known to associate with oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq. - Arecaceae). The occurrence of Tetranychus palmarum Flechtmann & Noronha (Acari, Tetranychidae) was verified on oil palm seedlings under greenhouse conditions in the State of Pará in Northern Brazil. Plants with colonies of T. palmarum presented yellowish spots on leaflets and leaves with chlorosis. The objective of this study was to access the biology and fertility life table of T. palmarum in E. guineensis leaves. The experiment was conducted under four constant temperatures, 22, 25, 28, and 31°C, at 70 ± 10% RH under a 12:12 LD photoperiod. The duration of the egg-to-adult period was 18.4 and 9.8 days, at 22 and 31°C, respectively. The parameters of the fertility life table showed that 28°C is most suitable for the development and reproduction of T. palmarum, with higher values for reproductive parameters (R o , r m , and λ) and lower values for duplicating the population (TD). Therefore, it is apparent that the best temperature conditions for the development of T. palmarum are found in the warmer regions of Brazil, such as those observed in northern Brazil.
Subject(s)
Arecaceae , Fertility , Tetranychidae/physiology , Animals , Brazil , Female , Life Tables , Male , Oviposition , Reproduction , TemperatureABSTRACT
Commercial cultivation of the fruit tree Myrciaria dubia (Myrtaceae) is being developed in Brazil but phytophagous insects, including scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea), can become pests in plantations. The coccids Ceroplastes jamaicensis White, Coccus viridis (Green), Parasaissetia nigra (Nietner), Pseudokermes vitreus (Cockerell) (Coccidae), and the diaspidid Pseudaonidia trilobitiformis (Green) were collected on M. dubia in the municipality of Belém and Tomé-Açu, state of Pará (PA), metropolitan and Northeast Pará mesoregions, Brazil. A key to species of Coccoidea recorded on M. dubia, based on adult females, is provided. Photographs for all scale insects reported on M. dubia are provided. Ceroplastes jamaicensis is recorded for the first time for Brazil and is herein reported for the first time associated with this host.
Subject(s)
Hemiptera , Myrtaceae , Animal Distribution , Animals , Brazil , Female , Fruit , Population Density , TreesABSTRACT
Em razão da expansão do agronegócio de flores tropicais na região Litoral Sul da Bahia e da inexistência de estudos com ácaros associados a essas culturas na região foram realizadas coletas no período de setembro de 2006 a junho de 2007 em 34 espécies/cultivares de plantas ornamentais tropicais das famílias Costaceae, Heliconiaceae, Musaceae e Zingiberaceae de onze propriedades localizadas em seis municípios (13º 21' a 14º 58' de latitude Sul e 39º 04' a 39º 27' de longitude Oeste), com o objetivo de se determinar a composição de grupos funcionais nos cultivos analisando-se a comunidade no nível de família por meio de índices faunísticos. Os ácaros foram coletados, mensalmente, em folhas e inflorescências. Foram registradas 22 famílias. Mais da metade dos ácaros pertenceu a famílias predominantemente predadoras, com destaque para os fitoseídeos. Com base em índices faunísticos, as famílias Phytoseiidae e Tetranychidae atingiram os índices máximos de dominância, abundância, frequência e constância. Tetraniquídeos (Tetranychus aff. abacae Baker & Pritchard) foram registrados em Alpinia purpurata (Viell.) Schum, Etlingera elatior (Jack) R. M. Smith, Musa coccinea H.C. Andrews, Strelitzia reginae Aiton, Zingiber spectabilis Griffith, Heliconia latispatha Benth., Heliconia rivularis L. Emygd. & E. Santos, Heliconia rostrata Ruiz & Pavon, Heliconia wagneriana Petersen e nos cultivares de helicônias 'Nappi Yellow', 'Jacquinii', 'She', 'Golden Torch', 'Red Opal', 'Alan Carle', 'Fire Bird' e 'Nappi Red'. As espécies/cultivares com maior número de famílias de ácaros foram H. latispatha. H. rostrata. M. coccinea, 'Fire Bird', E. elatior 'Vermelha', Z. spectabilis. E. elatior 'Rosa', A. purpurata 'Vermelha' e helicônias 'Alan Carle', 'Sassy' e 'She'. Não foram detectados nas plantas danos que causassem prejuízos econômicos aos produtores. As pequenas populações de fitófagos sugerem um eficiente controle natural por predadores, patógenos ou outros fatores.
Due to the expansion of the tropical flower agribusiness in the southern coastal region of Bahia State, Brazil, and the lack of studies on mites associated to these cultures in the region, mite surveys were conducted from September 2006 to June 2007 in 34 species/cultivars of ornamental plants of the families Costaceae, Heliconiaceae, Musaceae and Zingiberaceae on 11 properties located in 6 counties (13º 21' to 14º 58' of south latitude and 39º 04' to 39º 27' of west longitude) with the aim of determining the composition of functional groups in the field through the analysis of the community at the family level using faunistic indexes. Mites were collected monthly from leaves and inflorescences. Twenty-two families were recorded. More than half of the mites pertained to predominantly predatory families, mainly to phytoseiids. Based on faunistic indexes, the families Phytoseiidae and Tetranychidae showed the maximum indexes of dominance, abundance, frequency and constancy. Tetranychids (Tetranychus aff. abacae Baker & Pritchard) were reported on Alpinia purpurata (Viell.) Schum, Etlingera elatior (Jack) R. M. Smith, Musa coccinea H.C. Andrews, Strelitzia reginae Aiton, Zingiber spectabilis Griffith, Heliconia latispatha Benth., Heliconia rivularis L. Emygd. & E. Santos, Heliconia rostrata Ruiz & Pavon, Heliconia wagneriana Petersen and on the cultivars of heliconia 'Nappi Yellow,' 'Jacquinii,' 'She,' 'Golden Torch,' 'Red Opal,' 'Alan Carle,' 'Fire Bird' and 'Nappi Red.' The species/cultivars with the largest number of mite families were H. latispatha. H. rostrata. M. coccinea, 'Fire Bird,' E. elatior 'Vermelha,' Z. spectabilis. E. elatior 'Rosa,' A. purpurata 'Vermelha' and heliconias 'Alan Carle,' 'Sassy' and 'She.' No mite-induced economic losses on tropical flower cultures were observed. The low population levels of phytophagous mites suggest an efficient natural control by predators, pathogens and other factors.
