Abstract
The establishment of colonies of Atta cephalotes cutter ants under laboratory conditions has been proposed for the study and development of plague control products. However, few laboratories in Colombia have colonies of Atta cephalotes cutter ants, with food being a limiting factor given their sensitivity, selectivity and voracity. In this study, the use of wheat germinated kamut (Triticum turgidum), quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) and mung bean (Vigna radiata) as an alternative for the feeding of colonies under laboratory conditions y mango leaves like control, using mini-colonies was evaluated. In the study, mung bean sprouts and kamut wheat were preferred (100% load, 24 hours), compared to quinoa (89 ± 10% load, 24 hours). The determination of the effect of the sprouts on the growth rate of the mini-colonies was evaluated during 8 weeks, showing that the germinated kamut wheat and control treatment generated the best growth rates of fungus in the exponential phase (3.19 and 3.73 g / week respectively) compared with mung beans and quinoa (1 g / wk), supporting the potential of kamut wheat for the maintenance of colonies under laboratory conditions.
Highlights
Ants of the genus Atta, commonly called mule ants or cutter ants, are exclusive to tropical and subtropical regions distributed from the south of the United States to the north of Argentina
Cutter ants have been considered as agricultural pests due to their forage activity that causes the destruction of crops, forests and crops of agronomic importance such as yucca (Manihot sculenta), cocoa (Theobroma cacao), coffee (Coffea arabica), maize (Zea mays), cane (Saccharum offinarum), (Citrus sp), mango (Manguifera indiga), as well as forest species of interest such as eucalyptus (Eucaliptus sp) and pine (Pinus patula), causing losses of economic importance that generate the need to apply control strategies with chemically synthesized pesticides, characterized by their high toxicity
The use of systemic insecticides and fungicides is a common practice to control pests and diseases of plants and, generally it is difficult to know the origin of the leaves and flowers used to feed the antbeds, so that at some point the leaves and flowers could be toxic and affect the survival of the colonies in laboratory conditions [9], [10]
Summary
Ants of the genus Atta, commonly called mule ants or cutter ants, are exclusive to tropical and subtropical regions distributed from the south of the United States to the north of Argentina Within their distinctive behaviors it is highlighted that they have the habit of cutting and transporting diverse vegetable fragments to their underground nests for the cultivation of the fungus Leucoagaricus sp., with which they present a symbiotic relationship characterized by a complete mutual dependence in which the ants fulfill their function of cutting plant material and transporting it inside the antbeds and the fungus in turn to grow provides food to the ants [1], [2]. The use of systemic insecticides and fungicides is a common practice to control pests and diseases of plants and, generally it is difficult to know the origin of the leaves and flowers used to feed the antbeds, so that at some point the leaves and flowers could be toxic and affect the survival of the colonies in laboratory conditions [9], [10]
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