POPULATION FLUCTUATION OF Aeneolamia contigua (WALKER) IN THE CULTIVATION OF SUGAR CANE (Saccharum spp.) IN TABASCO, MÉXICO

Abstract

Among the phytosanitary problems that limit the production of the sugar cane (Saccharum spp.) crop, the species Aeneolamia contigua (Walker) stands out, which causes yield reductions of up to 60 %; based on this, the population fluctuation of A. contigua nymphs and adults was identified for one year in the supply zone of the Presidente Benito Juárez Sugar Plant, in Tabasco, México. Weekly samples were taken from November 2007 to October 2008, in a one-hectare sugar plantation with the variety CP722086. Sampling of adults was carried out by using five yellow adhesive traps. The nymph sampling was carried out by counting the insects present in 10 sugar cane strains chosen randomly between the strains near the traps. The adult population presented three rises during the study period, in February, August and October, which were preceded respectively by a nymph population peak in January, July and September. The correlation analysis between population data of the plague, temperature and precipitation during the study period indicated that the latter influences population development significantly.