Moscas-das-frutas e parasitoides em pomares comerciais de acerola no semiárido do Brasil: biodiversidade e exploração do fruto hospedeiro

Abstract

Phytosanitary problems constitute one of the main obstacles to the commercial production of fruit trees, especially fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae), a pest of greatest economic importance in world fruit growing. The damage caused by fruit flies may be due to oviposition punctures by females, larval feeding or the simple presence of the pest in the area. The occurrence of these frugivorous flies constitutes serious phytosanitary problems in organic acerola orchards located in the coastal region of the lower valley of the Parnaíba river in Piauí, specifically in the Distrito de Irrigação dos Tabuleiros Litorâneos do Piauí – DITALPI. Producers are losing market due to fruit fly infestation, however no control strategy for this insect pest is currently carried out. In addition, the organic cultivation system recommends the use of more sustainable control strategies, such as the use of natural enemies, mainly parasitoids, whose applicability in the field has intensified in several American countries for the suppression of black flies. -fruits. The management of fruit flies represents a critical factor for success in commercial orchards and the knowledge of the species of fruit flies predominant in a region, in addition to their association with parasitoids, represent a preliminary step for the establishment of sustainable management programs. Piauí began to deal technically with fruit fly infestation relatively recently, with a great lag in relation to other producing regions, in addition to the diversity of fruit flies and parasitoids in the region of the lower Parnaíba river valley. is unknown. Therefore, studies on the biodiversity of fruit flies, parasitoids, their population dynamics and interactions with the host fruit are essential information for establishing assertive strategies for controlling fruit flies in commercial acerola orchards located in the Vale do Parnaíba River, factors that motivated this research.