alerta de plaga PARATRIOZA

[NEGOCIOS AGRICOLAS]

Buenos dias colegas , PYMERURAL de Honduras, reporta que a finales del año 2013 se identificó nuevamente la presencia de la plaga Paratrioza (bactericera cockerelli) de la orden de las Hemípteras, es un insecto muy diminuto y resistente a los plaguicidas, por lo que es importante usar el Manejo Integrado de Plagas y la utilización de semilla certificada, comprobando su sanidad con análisis de laboratorio, que determinen que los tubérculos están libres de fitoplasmas.

 

“En la cosecha del mes de septiembre 2013, los cultivos de papa fueron atacados por la plaga Paratrioza, conocida comúnmente como la punta morada de la papa, el Ing. Edwin Flores, Secretario Técnico de la Cadena Hortícola/PRONAGRO manifestó: Esta plaga entró al país hace 10 años y año con año hace desastres, se ha hecho de todo y poco ha funcionado, al principio, se aplicaban insecticidas pero no dieron resultado".

 

Kingdom:		Animalia
Phylum:		Arthropoda
Class:		Insecta
Order:		Hemiptera
Suborder:		Sternorrhyncha
Superfamily:		Psylloidea
Family:		Triozidae
Genus:		Bactericera
Species:		B. cockerelli

 

Bactericera cockerelli, also known as the potato psyllid, is a potato/tomato psyllid native to southern North America. As its name suggests, it is commonly found on potato and tomato crops, where feeding of the nymphs causes a condition called psyllid yellows, presumed to be the result of a toxin.

 

The pest has caused significant loss in potato yields during periods of major population increase. Maximum potato yield loss appears to be related to infestations occurring early in the growing season, or on crops with a significant leaf canopy by summer. The psyllids are not heat tolerant and it is thought they survive summer temperatures in crops with sufficient leaf canopy through summer to offer shade.

 

The nymphs are very small and inconspicuous, feeding on the underside of leaves. Both nymphs and adults feed in the phloem.

 

The host range is reputed to be very wide, with many species from up to 20 genera recorded. Breeding hosts are generally recognised as being restricted primarily to Solanaceae, including important crop and common weed species, and a few species of Convolvulaceae, including bindweed and sweet potato.

 

Zebra chip is a recently diagnosed disease of potatoes associated with psyllid infestation and caused by species of the gram-negative bacterium, Candidatus Liberibacter. The tubers frequently have discolouration which becomes more clear during frying of chips. This disease causes very significant losses to farmers when it occurs as the potatoes are not suitable for making into chips or fries.