Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in vineyards that are infested or uninfested with Eurhizococcus brasiliensis (Hemiptera: Margarodidae) in Southeastern Brazil.

Catarina De Bortoli Munhae,Odair Correa Bueno,Maria Santina De Castro Morini

doi:10.1093/jisesa/ieu004

Catarina De Bortoli Munhae, Odair Correa Bueno + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.1093/jisesa/ieu004

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Abstract

The association between ants and mealybugs can result in damage to agriculture, including vineyards. In southern Brazil, the ant Linepithema micans F. contributes to the dispersal of Eurhizococcus brasiliensis (Wille) (ground pearl), a root mealybug that can lead to economic losses. In this study, the ant communities in vineyards that were infested or uninfested with ground pearls were evaluated in the primary municipalities that produce the Niágara Rosada variety of grapes in southeastern Brazil. The hypothesis of this study was that the composition of the ant community differs between vineyards with and without E. brasiliensis. The ants were collected using subterranean traps in 10 vineyards infested with this mealybug and 10 uninfested vineyards. There was no significant association between ground pearls and the composition or richness of the ant species. Solenopsis invicta (Buren) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) was the most frequently observed, and Pheidole aberrans (Mayr), Pheidole subarmata (Mayr) , and Brachymyrmex incisus F. were common, especially in the rainy season when ground-pearl nymphs were prevalent in the state of São Paulo. Species from preserved or specialized environments were recorded in the vineyards, even with the use of conventional management techniques.

Highlights

The association between ants and mealybugs can result in damage to agriculture, including vineyards
One of the major viticulture pests in the southern region of Brazil is the root mealybug, Eurhizococcus brasiliensis (Wille) (Hemiptera: Margarodidae), referred to as the ground pearl (Hickel et al 2008), and in the state of Sao Paulo, it was first recorded in the 1980s (Lourencao et al 1989)
S. invicta was the most common species in both the infested and uninfested vineyards (Table 1; Fig. 3A), irrespective of the season (Fig. 3B) and the type of bait (Fig. 3C). This species exhibited a negative association with Solenopsis saevissima (Smith) and Pheidole aberrans (Mayr) and a positive association with Brachymyrmex incisus F. and P. subarmata (Mayr; Fig. 4)

Summary

Introduction

The association between ants and mealybugs can result in damage to agriculture, including vineyards. In southern Brazil, the ant Linepithema micans F. contributes to the dispersal of Eurhizococcus brasiliensis (Wille) (ground pearl), a root mealybug that can lead to economic losses. The ant communities in vineyards that were infested or uninfested with ground pearls were evaluated in the primary municipalities that produce the Niagara Rosada variety of grapes in southeastern Brazil. Na regiao sul do Brasil, a formiga Linepithema micans promove a dispersao de Eurhizococcus brasiliensis (perola-da-terra), uma cochonilha de raiz que pode ocasionar perdas economicas. One of the major viticulture pests in the southern region of Brazil is the root mealybug, Eurhizococcus brasiliensis (Wille) (Hemiptera: Margarodidae), referred to as the ground pearl (Hickel et al 2008), and in the state of Sao Paulo, it was first recorded in the 1980s (Lourencao et al 1989). Linepithema micans F. disperse the newly hatched mealybug nymphs in the state of Rio Grande do Sul (Nondillo et al 2010, Martins et al 2012a), and two haplotypes are strongly associated with the ground pearl (Martins et al 2012a)

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