RESUMO
Yellow passionfruit (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa O. Deg.) is a tropical fruit crop that is meeting increasing demand both in local and international markets in South America. The lance fly, Dasiops inedulis (Diptera: Lonchaeidae), affects P. edulis floral buds and flowers, and is thought to cause important yield losses in this crop. In Colombia, D. inedulis are commonly controlled through calendar-based applications of chemically synthesized insecticides, and no scientific criteria exist to guide pest management. In the present study, we simulated D. inedulis injury to passionfruit plants, over the course of three production cycles. We assessed the effect of seven different categories of flower bud removal (from 0% to 79.9%) on passionfruit yield and fruit quality parameters. Removal rates above 20% caused a significant reduction in the number of flowers, while yield levels were lowest at 50-79.9% bud removal. With increasing rates of flower bud removal, we observed higher initial production of buds and lower levels of natural abortion of floral and fruiting structures. For the three consecutive harvests, maximum yield levels were 7.57±5.51 kg (mean±SD; with 0-9.9% damage), and minimum yield was 2.37±2.15 kg (60-69.9% damage) per plant. For fruit quality parameters, D. inedulis injury did not affect fruit pulp weight or the content of soluble solids (Brix). Our work provides insights into the impact of D. inedulis on yellow passionfruit production, and constitutes a basis for future integrated pest management programs for this pest.
Assuntos
Dípteros/fisiologia , Passiflora/parasitologia , Animais , Biomassa , Frutas/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Interações Hospedeiro-Parasita , Passiflora/crescimento & desenvolvimentoRESUMO
Parasitoids commonly forage in agricultural settings where the predominant sugar source is homopteran honeydew. The aphidiine braconid, Binodoxys communis, is an Asian parasitoid currently being released against the soybean aphid, Aphis glycines, in North American soybean fields. We conducted a number of laboratory experiments evaluating the quality of A. glycines honeydew as a sugar source for this parasitoid. Wasps readily fed on droplets of A. glycines honeydew, honey and 50% sucrose solution, but the length of feeding bouts on honey was significantly longer than on the other foods. Parasitoids lived significantly longer when fed honey or sucrose than honeydew, while starved wasps had the shortest lifespan. At 21+/-1 degrees C and 25+/-5% R.H., male B. communis that were fed honey lived for a maximum of 14 days, while females lived up to 20 days. Honeydew-fed wasps of both sexes lived approximately 3 days on average, which was 2-3 times longer than when they were only allowed access to water. Anthrone tests of whole insects showed that total sugar and glycogen levels of honey or sucrose-fed individuals were consistently higher than those fed honeydew or water. The glycogen levels of honeydew-fed wasps increased significantly after one day of feeding. HPLC analyses revealed that B. communis readily assimilates A. glycines honeydew oligosaccharides such as erlose, while others (e.g., raffinose) did not degenerate. Raffinose was present in much higher amounts in honeydew-fed wasps than in wasps fed other diets, so this sugar could be used as a 'signature' sugar for this species. Honeydew-fed wasps also had significantly lower fructose/(fructose+glucose) ratios than those from other diet treatments. Although A. glycines honeydew might be the main carbohydrate source within a soybean field, other sugar sources such as floral nectar appear to be more optimal foods for B. communis from a physiological standpoint. We discuss the results from the perspective of classical biological control of the soybean aphid in North America.