A feasible sampling unit for monitoring Chrysoperla spp. eggs and their potential in biological control on Coffea arabica L.

Abstract

Chrysopids are potential biological control agents of arthropods. Chysopid larvae prey on eggs, nymphs, larvae and pupa of coffee (Coffea arabica L.) pests. The objective of this study was to determine a sampling unit for Chrysoperla spp. eggs in coffee plants. We evaluated commercial fields of C. arabica cv. Catuaí 144 and determined the number of Chrysoperla spp. eggs on a pair of leaves located on a branch with the greatest leaf frequency. The third pair of leaves from the middle part of plant canopy was selected as the best location to sampling Chrysoperla spp. Sample unit validation showed a positive and significant relationship between the total number of eggs on the plant and the number of eggs on the 3^rd to 5^th pairs of coffee leaves. The selected sampling unit reduced the time required to sample Chrysoperla spp. by 71.7%. Sampling eggs of Chrysoperla spp. should focus on the abaxial surface of 3^rd pair of coffee leaves.

Keywords:

• Biological control
• decision making
• green lacewings
• natural enemy
• predation

Acknowledgments

We acknowledge ‘Associação Brasileira dos Produtores de Algodão (AMIPA)’ who participated in the biological survey, and we extend our greatest aprreciation to the farmers who provided the data for this study, and to Dr. Jeffrey Wangen for the valious comments to improve this manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Funding

This research was supported as part of the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) [Grant number: 304913/2018-9], and Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) and Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG).

Additional information

Funding

We acknowledge ‘Associação Brasileira dos Produtores de Algodão (AMIPA)’ who participated in the biological survey, and we extend our greatest aprreciation to the farmers who provided the data for this study, and to Dr. Jeffrey Wangen for the valious comments to improve this manuscript.