Banana flower thrips (Thysanoptera) and their natural enemies in Magdalena, Colombia

• Main Authors: Mayra A. García-Sarabia, Hayder S. Mizar-Caballero, Paula A. Sepúlveda-Cano
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Universidad de Córdoba 2015-07-01
• Series: Temas Agrarios
• Subjects: musa; pest; predators; enthomopathogenic fungi
• Online Access: https://revistas.unicordoba.edu.co/index.php/temasagrarios/article/view/760

Banana crops are one of the most important economic activities in the department of Magdalena with more than 12.000 ha of crops. Due to the quality standards required by international markets, phytosanitary problems need identification and strict management, especially thrips (Thysanoptera) problems that have been recorded in banana bunches in the department of Magdalena. In order to determine the species of this insect order that could affect banana production, sampling trips were conducted in banana bunches from 10 fields of conventional and organic crops and their natural enemies during 2011 and 2012. All the materials were processed and deposited in the Colección Entomológica del Centro de Colecciones Biológicas de la Universidad del Magdalena. 2937 specimens from two species of thrips were collected: Frankliniella parvula and F. insularis, both belonging to Thripidae (subfamily Thripinae) family. F. insularis was only recorded in organic fields, where the abundance and diversity of thrips was higher, although no statistically significant differences were found regarding conventional production systems. As natural enemy species, Formicidae (Tapinoma and Camponotus) Labiidae and Vespidae (Polybia) families were found, and the fungus Metarhizium anisoplae, which was found only in organic crops. The results of this study provided no evidence for the presence of thrips in the department of Magdalena that cause rust or red patch.