Ácaros fitoseídeos em cajueiro: diversidade e sazonalidade

Abstract

The cashew tree, Anacardium occidentale L., is a rustic crop, adapted to arid and low fertility environments, in addition to withstanding high levels of salinity. Such adaptations combined with the various by-products that can be obtained from this culture increase its potential for cultivation. However, several factors can limit the productivity of this crop, such as the occurrence of arthropod-pests. In some countries, the incidence of pests on the cashew crop becomes even more problematic due to the lack or the limited number of phytosanitary products available. Alternative pest control methods are still poorly explored in cashew crops. Biodiversity and the ecological and economic importance of the natural agents of biological pest control in the cashew crop are still little explored aspects. Although mite species are not reported as pest organisms on the cashew crop, the mite present in this crop can be fundamental in the development of a rational and sustainable program for the management of insect pests. Recent studies have demonstrated the potential of some species of predatory mites not only against phytophagous mites but also against small phytophagous insects, such as the giant whitefly, Aleurodicus cocois (Curtis), which is an important pest in cashew culture. The present study aims to investigate the diversity and seasonality of phytoseiids in cashew plants, identifying species of phytoseiid mites that may have the potential to be used in the development of a rational and sustainable pest management program.