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SURVEY OF THE INSECT POPULATION ON A PROTEA PLANTATION IN THE SOUTHWEST OF PORTUGAL

2003; International Society for Horticultural Science; Issue: 602 Linguagem: Inglês

10.17660/actahortic.2003.602.8

2406-6168

Marx Leandro, Márcia Oliveira, Catharina Isis Santos de Melo, António Mexia,

Insect Resistance and Genetics

During June and July of 1999, a Protea plantation was established in Zambujeira do Mar, in the Southwest of Portugal. The plantation comprised a diversity of species and varieties of Protea, Leucadendron and Leucospermum along with species from different families in the Fynbos. Since then, work has been done in order to define the insect populations affecting the Proteaceae. It is our goal to know the main pests causing damage to the crop and to identify the beneficials present in order to establish an IPM program for the crop in the region. The plantation was established late in the season in 1999, but in the first year we immediately identified two key pests, Helicoverpa armigera and Sesamia nonagrioides, and could observe the importance of the beneficial insect population. In the spring of 2000, pheromone traps for the two Lepidoptera species were installed and a weekly survey in the fields was started, The survey was repeated in 2001. From these preliminary surveys, we compiled information on the insect population and dynamics in the fields. The H. armigera and S. nonagrioides populations in 2000 reached levels that required six to eight insecticide treatments. In 2001, these pests were replaced in importance by a secondary pest of 2000, the Torticidae Cacoecimorpha pronubana. Its attacks again justified insecticide interventions. Other pests identified were mainly scale insects, mealybugs, stink bugs, weevils and leafhoppers. Among the beneficial insects, we identified several species of Coccinelidae, Cantharidae, Anthocoridae, Chrysopidae, Ichneumonidae and Braconidae.