Distribution and attack of pineapple mealybug to macauba palm Acrocomia aculeata

Abstract

The mealybug Dysmicoccus brevipes (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) is an important pest of several agricultural crops and can transmit viruses, and reduce growth and production, and lead to plant mortality. Macauba palm is an oleaginous plant whose oil can be used in the production of biodiesel, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and in human food. In this context, the effect of mealybug insect attacks on the development and survival of this oleaginous remains little understood. The impact of D. brevipes attacks on macauba palm was verified by comparing the development of attacked and non-attacked plants. The spatial distribution pattern of D. brevipes in the areas studied (two areas) was also evaluated. The percentage of plants attacked by D. brevipes ranged from 52–54%. Attacked plants presented lower height (112.3–138.1 cm) and smaller crown diameter (136.8–173.6 cm) than non-attacked plants (187.8–191.6 cm and 234.7–246.2 cm). The spatial distribution of D. brevipes was best represented by the Spherical model. The attack range ranged from 4.4–5.5 m; distribution pattern of attacked plants was similar in the two plots with aggregate distribution and strong spatial dependence. The spatial distribution maps indicated that sampled plants and neighboring plants showed similar occurrence of D. brevipes. The pineapple mealybug is a pest insect with great capacity to cause mortality of young macauba plants, and can compromise the production and longevity of the attacked plants.