POPULATION DYNAMICS OF PEPPER PICUDO Anthonomus eugenii (COLEOPTERA: CURCULIONIDAE)

Abstract

Weevil Anthonomus eugeniiis the main pest of pepper crop in Panama, for this reason its population dynamics was studied in order to create the basis for an integrated pest management. The study was conducted at four localities in the Azuero region, in plots of commercial producers of pepper (Capsicum annum) during the rainy season. We used descriptive statistics, analysis of variance and means were separated using multiple range test of Duncan. The town of Chumajal presented the highest percentage of adult infestation of A. eugenii with 8,79% (P<0,05). While the lowest percentage of infestation was found in the towns of Los Angeles, La Honda and Las Cabras, averaging 0,20%, 0,25% and 0,76%, respectively. It was determined that most of the population of A. eugenii were introduced in the maturation stage with 2,25% (P<0.01). Adults of A. eugenii were found in the terminal bud of the pepper plant infestation with 3,65% (P<0,05). Los Angeles had the highest healthy fruit with 22,13% and it was different from Chumajal, which presented the lowest average with 4,45%. Meanwhile, Chumajal presented higher averages of infestation (18,03%) than the recorded averages found in Los Angeles and Las Cabras, 2,35% and 1,03%, respectively. In 2007, the initial population of A. eugenii, were observed in April, these populations tended to increase in May and decreced between June and July, then increased again during August. Later, populations decrease at the end of October.