Scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) associated to Coffea arabica l. (Rutaceae) and their respective natural enemies, in the region of the Alta Mogiana, São Paulo

• Grant number: 18/07260-1
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): June 01, 2018
• Effective date (End): May 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Plant Health
• Principal Investigator: Nilza Maria Martinelli
• Grantee: Hágabo Honorato de Paulo
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The Southeastern region is responsible for the biggest national production of Coffea arabica L., being São Paulo state the second largest producer. However, one of the limiting factors on the increasing productivity, together to coffee quality, with lower production costs is the pest incidence. Among the most frequently mentioned pest insects, associated to coffee in this region, stand out the scale insects of the genus Coccus; Dysmicoccus and Planococcus. These can cause direct damage, through the suction of the elaborate sap, and indirectly related mainly to the inoculation of toxic substances and the production of honeydew. That way, the objective of this work is to inventory the scale insects species and their natural enemies associated to arabica coffee in the conventional, organic and agroforestry systems in the Alta Mogiana region, in São Paulo State, by observing their occurrence on the different structures and phenological stages of the plant. The collecting of the scale insects will be bimonthly between July 2018 and July 2020. The collected scale insects will be stored and taken for assembly and identification in the Biosystematic Laboratory of Hemiptera (LABHEM) of the Department of Phytosanitary at UNESP-Jaboticabal Campus. Part of the adult scale insects collected will be separated in test tubes to obtain the parasitoids and the larvae of the predators fed by the scale insects until the getting of the adult. The cryptic species of scale insects will be identified through molecular analysis. The survey of scale insects and natural enemies in the three different coffee growing systems in the Alta Mogiana region will allow the registration of a larger number of scale insects and natural enemies presented in the region, being this knowledge generated fundamental for the planning of integrated pest management, contributing to a sustainable coffee production. (AU)