e-ISSN 1983-4063 - www.agro.ufg.br/pat - Pesq. Agropec. Trop., Goiânia, v. 49, e54421, 2019 Research Article Host plants for mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in grapevine crops1 Fabiana Soares Cariri Lopes2, José Vargas de Oliveira2, José Eudes de Morais Oliveira3, Martin Duarte de Oliveira2, Adriana Maria de Souza4 ABSTRACT RESUMO Plantas hospedeiras de cochonilhas-farinhentas (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidade) em cultivos de videira Mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) are considered pest insects of economic importance in grapevine As cochonilhas-farinhentas (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) crops. They are highly polyphagous, feeding on host plants of são consideradas pragas de importância econômica em cultivos about 250 families. This study aimed to identify host plants de videira. São altamente polífagas, alimentando-se de plantas for mealybugs in grapevine crops, in the São Francisco Valley hospedeiras de 250 famílias. Objetivou-se identificar plantas region, Brazil. The samples included weeds, ornamentals, hospedeiras de cochonilhas-farinhentas em cultivos de videira, na windbreaks, fruit trees and native plants of the Caatinga região do Vale do São Francisco. Foram amostradas plantas daninhas, biome. A total of 37 species of host plants for mealybugs were ornamentais, quebra-ventos, frutíferas e nativas do bioma Caatinga. identified, distributed in 18 families. The Malvaceae family Foram identificadas 37 espécies de plantas hospedeiras de cochonilhas- was the most frequent one, with eigth host species identified, farinhentas, distribuídas em 18 famílias. A família Malvaceae foi a followed by Fabaceae with four and Euphorbiaceae with three. mais frequente, com oito espécies hospedeiras identificadas, seguida Most of these host plants are being recorded here for the first de Fabaceae com quatro e Euphorbiaceae com três. A maior parte time in association with mealybugs species. From the identified destas plantas hospedeiras está sendo aqui registrada pela primeira plant species, 24 are hosts for Maconelicoccus hirsutus, 16 vez em associação com cochonilhas-farinhentas. Das espécies de for Phenacoccus solenopsis, one for Ferrisia virgata, one plantas identificadas, 24 são hospedeiras deMaconelicoccus hirsutus, for Dysmicoccus brevipes and one for Planococcus citri. The 16 de Phenacoccus solenopsis, uma de Ferrisia virgata, uma de obtained results are important to better understand the host Dysmicoccus brevipes e uma de Planococcus citri. Os resultados plant diversity for mealybugs, in order to implement integrated obtidos são importantes para melhor conhecimento da diversidade pest management programs. de hospedeiros de cochonilhas-farinhentas, visando à implantação de programas de manejo integrado. KEYWORDS: Vitis vinifera, Pseudococcidae, Malvaceae, weeds. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Vitis vinifera, Pseudococcidae, Malvaceae, plantas daninhas. INTRODUCTION cases, quarantine restrictions may cause embargos in the export of in natura fruits (Kishino et al. 2007, Mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) are Daane et al. 2008). Additionally, they can transmit considered pests of economic importance in several viruses (grapevine leaf rolls) to host plants, such as crops in the world, such as grapevine (Morandi Planococcus citri (Risso) (Cabaleiro & Segura 1997, Filho et al. 2015, García Morales et al. 2016). The Cid et al. 2007, Daane et al. 2012). damage caused by sap-sucking mealybugs may Mealybugs are highly polyphagous insects lead to the consequent production of honeydew and and are reported in about 250 host families. The the appearance of sooty mold, which makes fruits most common one is the Poaceae family, with 585 unfeasible for commercialization, and, in some species already described, followed by Asteraceae 1. Received: Aug. 13, 2018. Accepted: Nov. 29, 2018. Published: Mar. 19, 2019. DOI: 10.1590/1983-40632019v4954421. 2. Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Departamento de Agronomia-Entomologia, Recife, PE, Brasil. E-mail/ORCID: [email protected]/0000-0001-5429-0072, [email protected]/0000-0001-6976-6504, [email protected]/0000-0002-1385-9733. 3. Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (Embrapa Semiárido), Laboratório de Entomologia, Petrolina, PE, Brasil. E-mail/ORCID: [email protected]/0000-0002-9635-5097. 4. Universidade Federal do Piauí, Bom Jesus, PI, Brasil. E-mail/ORCID: [email protected]/0000-0001-5496-5834. 2 F. S. C. Lopes et al. (2019) (250), Fabaceae (225), Rosaceae (116), Rubiaceae This study aimed to survey species of host (101), Euphorbiaceae (97), Myrtaceae (94), Labiatae plants for mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) (85), Moraceae (82) and Cyperaceae (75) (García in grapevine agroecosystems, in the São Francisco Morales et al. 2016). Valley sub-region, Brazil. Weeds are often reported as hosts for different species of mealybugs, which can act as potential MATERIAL AND METHODS crop pests, such as Dysmicoccus brevipes (Cockerell) (Pandey & Johnson 2006) and Pseudococcus viburni The experiment was carried out in 19 table (Signoret) (Godfrey et al. 2003). Therefore, weeds in grape (Vitis vinifera) commercial producing areas, the growing area may increase pest infestation, what is constituted of large and small properties, with plants a risk for the crop (Carvalho & Costa 2014), and may, at different production stages, in the São Francisco as well, decrease crop yield and increase production Valley region [Petrolina (PE), Lagoa Grande (PE), costs (Vasconcelos et al. 2012). The relative importance Casa Nova (BA), Juazeiro (BA) and Curaçá (BA)], of the various weed species bordering crops as sources Brazil, from May 2014 to June 2015. and reservoirs of mealybug populations has not yet The host plants were collected weekly in the been quantified (Pandey & Johnson 2006). Other plant selected areas with the greatest problems of high species that are close to crops may also act as hosts for densities of these pest insects. Weeds, ornamentals, mealybugs, as in the case of fruit trees and ornamental windbreaks, fruit trees and native plants of the and windbreak plants. Caatinga biome were observed, in and around The mealybugs species occurring in grapevines grapevine crops. The host plants were collected in the São Francisco Valley sub-region, Bahia state, randomly whenever there were mealybugs feeding Brazil, are Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green, 1908), on them by extracting sap from cells. Whole plants Planococcus citri (Risso, 1813), Phenacoccus or parts, such as leaves, fruits and flowers, were solenopsis Tinsley, 1898, Dysmicoccus brevipes stored in properly identified paper bags and sent to (Cockerell, 1893) and Ferrisia virgata Cockerell. the laboratory for sorting and storage. These plants Some of these species are directly associated with were identified and classified according to family, grapevine plants and can cause several damages, genus and species, by a specialist, based on Kissmann such as P. citri, D. brevipes and M. hirsutus, recently (1991) and Kissmann & Groth (1992). reported for this area (Lopes 2016). In the region, Mealybugs were collected at the same time growers observed that, in addition to grapevines, as the plants were, and then taken to the laboratory these mealybug species is also found in other plants for sorting and storage. For the identification of located in and around orchards, such as weeds, fruit mealybugs, based on the morphological characters of plants, windbreak and ornamental plants, which can adult females, about 10-20 specimens were stored in function as alternative hosts, serving as a refuge an eppendorf tube with 70 % alcohol, duly identified during the off-season crop and allowing a rapid and then sent for identification by Dr. Ana Lucia G. infestation and population growth of mealybugs. B. Peronti. The identification of plants that may serve as The preparation of the permanent slides drew hosts for mealybugs is essential, since they can serve on the technique described by Granara de Willink as a reservoir for mealybugs during the period in (1990), basically consisting of the following steps: which the main crop is not producing, and is one of 1) perforation of the specimens in the ventral region the key requirements for an integrated management (3-4 holes with fine stilettos, such as needle tips); of pests (Maziero et al. 2007). 2) clarification of the specimens in 10 % KOH Knowing about alternative hosts for mealybugs solution in a water bath; 3) wash in distilled water; shows the importance of the crop preventive 4) dehydration in alcohol, alcoholic series: 70 % and inspection as one of the management tactics, because, 100 %, 15 min in each one; 5) exoskeleton coloring when there is proof of the adaptability to new plants, by adding only a few drops of fuchsine acid in insects the introduction of these pests in non-infested areas still immersed in 70 % alcohol; 6) after dehydration is facilitated by the traffic of people and machines, in 100 % alcohol, finalization of clarification in and also helps in the selection of ornamental plants eugenol (clove oil) for about 4 h; 7) slide mount with (Benvenga et al. 2011). Canada Balsam; and drying in oven. The insects were e-ISSN 1983-4063 - www.agro.ufg.br/pat - Pesq. Agropec. Trop., Goiânia, v. 49, e54421, 2019 3 Host plants for mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in grapevine crops 3 identified with an optical microscope (Williams & found to be more numerous, because of its recent Granara de Willink 1992, Granara de Willink 2009, introduction in the region (Lopes