Population fluctuation of Bactericera cockerelli Sulcer and incidence of Candidatus Liberibacter Solanacearun in potato, Jinotega 2014

Abstract

Potato crop represent a source of foreign exchange in our country and generate a large number of jobs. To this date, there is no formal study on the population fluctuation of Bactericera cockerelli and Candidatus liberibacter. This study was conducted to determine the population dynamics of Bactericera cockerelli and the incidence of Candidatus liberibacter in potatoes, which was carried out in Jinotega, La Concordia, San Rafael del Norte, and Yalí municipalities, in the department of Jinotega, from February to September 2014. The data collection was carried out in 4 potato farms. Thirty yellow sticky traps and 30 stations for visual sampling were located on each farm. The Bactericera cockerelli insects found, as well as the symptoms of the disease detected in the field were identified with the help of the thematic guide used by the phytosanitary specialists of the Instituto de Protección y Sanidad Agropecuaria (IPSA). The number of insects captured in the yellow traps and the number of insects observed, the number of plants with symptoms of Candidatus liberibacter, and the incidence of tuber damage in potato farms were evaluated. According to the results obtained, it was shown that the populations of Bactericera cockerelli were present in potato from March 14^th to May 23^rd, with the maximum population peak on April 25^th, in the first cycle, and from June 23^rd to September the 2^nd, with the maximum population peak on July 22^nd, in the postrainy season; the incidence of Candidatus liberibacter in potato was higher in the first cycle than in the postrera cycle, and the incidence of Candidatus liberibacter in tubers was higher in Buenos Aires farm with 72%, El Aguacate 1 with 32%, Las Piedras with 23% and El Aguacate 2 with 16%.