ESPÉCIES DE TRIPES OCORRENTES EM BATATA-INGLESA NO LESTE DE GOIÁS, INCLUINDO SEU CONTROLE ATRAVÉS DE MISTURAS BINÁRIAS E AGENTE BIOLÓGICO

Abstract

The world population is directly dependent on the potato plant, Solanum tuberosum L. (Solanaceae), as it is an important source of energy, which guarantees food security. However, insects that transmit viruses, such as thrips, have used the aerial part of this plant as food, increasing its hostability with each new crop. This constitutes a serious threat to the agricultural production of this tuber. Cases of insecticide resistance have been recorded in Brazil for this polyphagous insect, which raises concerns on the part of potato growers. Thus, field research that can generate information for use in Integrated Pest Management programs against thrips in potato should be urgently explored. We investigated the population, in quantitative terms, of four species of thrips (Arorathrips mexicanus, Caliothrips phaseoli, Frankliniella schultzei and Thrips palmi), in potato plants (cv. Ágata), sprayed with treatments Bb (Beauveria bassiana), Bb+SilK (binary tank mix between Bb and potassium silicate), the insecticide chlorfenapyr, isolated SilK and an absolute control (water only). The number of thrips was presented by traps, sampled from 15 to 105 DAA, days after application, at fortnightly replacement intervals. Of the thrips species found in potato plants, F. schultzei is the most worrying, because in addition to being cosmopolitan and generalist, it is also one of the main vectors of tospoviruses for Solanaceae. Arorathrips mexicanus was the one with the lowest abundance. Relatively higher values of abundance were observed for F. schultzei and T. palmi. The diversity of thrips species found on potato plants in the Cerrado of Goiás indicates that these insects have adapted to agriculture practiced in the regional context. The binary mixture between Bb+ SilK showed promising results to be taken into account in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs, focusing on thrips, in potato crops in the Cerrado of Goiás.