BIOLOGICAL CONTROL AND COCONUT RESISTANCE AIMING AT THE MANAGEMENT OF NECROSIS MITE Aceria guerreronis (ACARI: ERIOPHYIDAE) IN THE CITY OF MOJU-PA
Biological control, Cocos nucifera, coconut mite, entomopathogenic fungi.
The coconut culture (Cocos nucifera L.) has a high agricultural, agro-industrial, food, economic and social importance in the tropical countries where it is grown. However, pests continue to be a limiting factor in fruit production, among them one of the most important known as the coconut mite (Aceria guerreronis Keifer). Therefore, the objective of this research was to obtain information that can be used in the management of the necrosis mite through (1) a study of the population fluctuation of A. guerreronis and its natural enemies; (2) alternative pest control with the use of entomopathogenic fungi; and (3) study of varieties that are less susceptible to mite attack. The study was conducted at Fazenda SOCOCO S. A. Agroindústria da Amazônia located in the municipality of Moju-PA, monthly collections of leaflets and fruits were made from August 2018 to July 2019, with approximately 933 thousand mites collected, with emphasis on the species A. guerreronis, representing almost 100% of the specimens sampled. The mite Amblyseius aerialis (Muma) was the most abundant species among the collected predators, being selected for oviposition tests and functional and numerical response in the laboratory. When fed with different densities of the necrosis mite, there was a maximum consumption of up to 175 prey per predator, favoring their development, reproduction and control of the pest in the laboratory. In the field tests with the application of entomopathogenic fungi (Isaria fumosorosea, Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium sp.), a lower percentage of damaged fruits and a lower number of A. guerreronis was verified with the fungus I. fumosorosea, however these results are not yet conclusive.