Abstract

MACHADO DA ROSA, JOATAN et al. Damage caused by Conotrachelus psidii (Coleóptera: Curculionidae) to the fruits of feijoa (Acca sellowiana). Rev. Colomb. Entomol. [online]. 2015, vol.41, n.1, pp.12-17. ISSN 0120-0488.

The feijoa, Acca sellowiana, is a native fruit species from Southern Brazil. In this work, we study the occurrence and damage caused by a weevil species to the fruits of feijoa. The study was conducted during two seasons in orchards and the natural forests of A. sellowiana at two locations in the States of Santa Catarina (SC) and Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. In the feijoa orchard in Lages, SC, fruits were sampled to typify the injury. The fruit size, incidence, and severity of damage to the fruits were measured. Fifteen plants were randomly selected in which 30 fruits were measured weekly and the number of weevil injuries per fruit was counted. The taxonomic expertise confirmed the species as Conotrachelus psidii (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). The incidence and severity of weevil damage was higher on fruits from monoculture orchards than on fruits from native forests. Both unripe and ripe fruits were damaged by weevils through epidermis disruption resulting in blackened holes. The larvae damage the pulp and seeds, there by causing rotten fruits. Weevils are able to damage the feijoa fruits immediately after the onset of fruiting. In feijoa monoculture, 100% of the fruits evaluated until harvest were damaged by C. psidii. The severity of the weevil damage increased proportionately to the increase of fruit size.

Keywords : Damaged fruits; Insect-plant interaction; Taxonomy; Weevils.

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