Temporary distribution of insects associated to maracuyá (Passiflora edulis Sims) in Matagalpa, Nicaragua 2016

Abstract

The passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims) is a tropical fruit that belongs to the family of Passifloraceas, in Nicaragua this one grown mainly in Matagalpa, in the 2013, 310 farms producing passion fruit were reported. In order to contribute to the national scientific knowledge, a study was conducted between July to November 2016, in the community of Molino Sur, Sébaco, Matagalpa, the study was carried out on two maracuya farms, with the porpoise of identifying, calculating abundance, richness and describing the temporal variation of the main insect families associated to passion fruit. The study was conducted in two farms, where 12 insect traps per farm were placed, in addition, in each farm, a collection of 50 flowers per monitoring date was examined for the floral fly damage, according to the results, the main insect families associated to the passion fruit were the families: Anthophoridae, Apidae, Coccidae Curculionidae, Drosophilidae, Formicidae, Lonchaeidae, Noctuidae, Scarabaeidae and Vespidae. The insect diversity was estimated using the Shannom-weaver diversity index, the family with the highest diversity index was the Drosophilidae family. It was found that the greatest abundance and richness of insects associated with the cultivation of passion fruit was found in the farm Las Vegas. As for the richness of insects, thirty-two families were found, with forty-one genera, the most numerous belonging to the families Apidae, Vespidae, Noctuidae, Pentatomidae and Scarabaeidae. Regarding the temporal variation, the most important families were the Lonchaeidae, Anthophoridae, Coccidae and Formicidae, among the main nutritional habits of the insect species associated with the cultivation of passion fruit were found, nectarivore, polinivore, predator, defoliator y saprophagus.