Abstract
Pseudococcidae species, also known as mealybugs, comprises a complex of pests in various cultivated and non-cultivated plant species, among which fruit plants are most affected by both direct and indirect damage. The incidence of these pest species has been constant in productive environments, causing significant losses due to sap suction, virus transmission, and damage to fruit quality. Thus, this study aimed to know and investigate the population dynamics of natural enemies of Pseudococcidae in different fruit plants cultivated in the semiarid region of Brazil. For this, mealybugs associated with roots, stems, leaves, and fruits of vine, pear, apple, persimmon, guava, and acerola trees were collected biweekly in 14 properties in the São Francisco Valley region, from July 2016 to June 2017. These mealybugs were properly separated for the removal of their predators and the emergence of parasitoids associated with them (Pseudococcidae). Coccophagus sp., Aenasius sp., Anagyrus kamali, Anagyrus sp. 1, Anagyrus sp. 2, Anagyrus sp. 3, Anagyrus sp. 4, Coccidoxenoides perminutus, Gyranusoidea indica, Leptomastix dactylopii, Prochiloneurus sp., Aprostocetus sp., and Signiphora sp. were identified as parasitoids and Diadiplosis multifila, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri, Tenuisvalvae notata, Cycloneda sanguinea, and Hippodamia convergens were identified as predators, in addition to unidentified species of Coccinellidae and Chrysopidae.
Highlights
In Brazil, tropical fruit production is concentrated in the northeast region, which has a predominantly semiarid climate (Araújo, Fernandes, Silva, Ferreira, & Costa, 2015)
Coccophagus sp., Aenasius sp., Anagyrus kamali, Anagyrus sp. 1, Anagyrus sp. 2, Anagyrus sp. 3, Anagyrus sp. 4, Coccidoxenoides perminutus, Gyranusoidea indica, Leptomastix dactylopii, Prochiloneurus sp., Aprostocetus sp., and Signiphora sp. were identified as parasitoids and Diadiplosis multifila, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri, Tenuisvalvae notata, Cycloneda sanguinea, and Hippodamia convergens were identified as predators, in addition to unidentified species of Coccinellidae and Chrysopidae
Noyes (2017) show details on the distribution and hosts of parasitoids identified at species level, and Noyes (1980) show details on those identified at genus level, indicating that some of these are related to Pseudococcidae, such as Aenasius, Anagyrus, and Prochiloneurus
Summary
In Brazil, tropical fruit production is concentrated in the northeast region, which has a predominantly semiarid climate (Araújo, Fernandes, Silva, Ferreira, & Costa, 2015). Mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) are agricultural pests responsible for a significant reduction in plant productivity and are spread through the international fruit trade due to their small size and rapid fixation on plant surfaces (Beltrà et al, 2015). They can feed on all parts of the plant, but the aerial part is most affected by them. Coccidoxenoides perminutus Girault (1915) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) is an example jas.ccsenet.org
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