Dasiops inedulis Steyskal (Diptera: Lonchaeidae): Influências na passicultura cearense e patogenicidade de fungos comerciais.

Abstract

Passion fruit cultivation faces several limiting factors to achieving high yields, primarily phytosanitary issues, such as high infestations of insect pests. Among them, the flower bud fly is the main cause of reduced crop productivity, with little information available on its management. Given this, the objective was to identify the main species present in orchards in Ceará and evaluate the effect of Metarhizium anisopliae IBCB 425, Beauveria bassiana IBCB 66 and Cordyceps fumosorosea ESALQ-1296 on late-instar larvae and pupae of the fly. The taxonomic identification of the collected individuals was carried out by the Entomology Laboratory of the Institute of Biodiversity and Forests/Federal University of Western Pará (IBEF/UFOPA), identifying Dasiops inedulis Steyskal (Diptera: Lonchaeidae) as the main pest responsible for the drop of reproductive structures in the crop. No significant lethal effect of the tested entomopathogenic fungi was observed on late-instar larvae or pupae, although C. fumosorosea caused a reduction in adult emergence ranging from 7 to 19% when applied to pupae. Furthermore, it is suggested that new methodologies be tested to assess the efficiency of these fungi in controlling D. inedulis, given the limited management options available for this pest.