Abstract
We characterize the population dynamics of pests and beneficial organisms in strawberries to assess the impact of two meteorological factors (temperature and precipitation) and define the most appropriate method for monitoring insects in strawberries crop. Population dynamics were monitored weekly using the plant beat method and Möericke traps in Albion strawberries. Measurements were taken in organic strawberry farms over two growing seasons, from March 26, 2010 to August 23, 2010 (first season - 2009/2010) and from October 4, 2010 to March 21, 2011 (second season - 2009/2010) in the municipality of Pinhais, Paraná state, southern Brazil (25º25'S; 49º08'W). We collected a total of 7,971 pests and 1,987 beneficial organisms. The most abundant pests were Chaetosiphon fragaefolii (Cockerell) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in the first growing season and Tetranychus urticae (Koch) (Acari: Tetranychidae) in the second. Beneficial organisms from Acari, Araneae, and Hymenoptera parasitoids predominated in both seasons. Temperature and precipitation were the the primary climatic factor associated with the population variation of aphids. Populations of C. fragaefolii grew when the temperature was between 16°C and 25ºC. We found that plant beat was the fastest and most suitable method for strawberry pests monitoring since it captured insects that were effectively colonizing the plants. This study contributes to a better understanding of the entomofauna associated with cultivation of organic strawberry.
Highlights
Trawberry is the most widely consumed small fruit in the world, as well as having the great area under cultivation
We observed that Möericke traps were the most appropriate over both growing seasons to capture Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae) (p
The tray bottom was lined with white ethylenevinyl acetate (EVA), which was moistened with water solution and detergent at the time of sampling to keep insects from escaping
Summary
Trawberry is the most widely consumed small fruit in the world, as well as having the great area under cultivation. Little is known about the dynamics between pest populations and beneficial organisms in Brazilian strawberry cultivation. Studies are needed to identify the key pests and their natural enemies in strawberry producing fields and to assess their population dynamics to plan integrated pest management programs. In addition to the data on species, studies should consider the impact of abiotic factors like climatic variables and the cropping system itself on the dynamics of pest populations (Castilho et al 2015). Arthropod sampling protocols are essential for basic studies in crops and the development of integrated pest management programs. This study characterizes the diversity of pests and beneficial organisms in strawberries, aiming to evaluate the impact of two meteorological factors (temperature and precipitation) and to identify the most appropriate method for monitoring insects in this crop
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