Population dynamic of insect pest associated to plantain (Musa paradisiaca L.) in Rivas, Nicaragua

Abstract

Plantain cultivation is a high yield commodity with an acceptable and production rates in Nicaragua, it represents an alternative product of great importance in the department of Rivas. Crop security is provided for small, medium and large producers, but, it has been threatened by a group of pests and diseases that affect plant and fruit. With the aim of contributing to scientifi c knowledge on major insect pests associated to cultivation of plantain (Musa paradisiaca. L), this study was conducted in the period from January to September 2014 in six plantain farms of the department of Rivas. For this study sampling of weevil insect was done by using plantain corms as discs. To sample insects in plantain leaves, the bottom canopy leaves of 25 plants per farm were sampled. All insects found in the study were identifi ed in the laboratory of entomology at the National Agrarian University. The identified insects were, Cosmopolites sordidus, Methamacius hemipterus, Rhinchosporum Palmarum and Dysmicoccus Grassi. The months of May through September were the period where increased presence of these insects was found, compared to the summer months of January to April where populations found of these insects was lower.