Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
In this work we assessed the effects of the application of dimethoate on the coccinellid community. The field work
was carried out on a weekly basis, in two different olive groves, from April to November of 2002 and 2003 and captured
coccinellids were identified to species level. Principal response curves (PRC) method was used to analyse the effect
of the dimethoate application on the abundance of coccinellid species. A total of 23 species were identified from the
two olive groves. Nine species occurred in both olive groves and in the two years of the study. Scymnus interruptus
was the dominant species in the control grove with 46.4% of the total Coccinellidae recovered while in the grove treated
with dimethoate, Rhyzobius chrysomeloides represented 35.7% of the total number captured. PCR showed that the
main effect of the treatment was a significant reduction of the abundance of the most common species of the coccinellid
community (S. interruptus and Chilocorus bipustulatus) in the treated grove. This can also have implications on the
preservation of ecological functions associated with coccinellids, namely their role as control agents of olive pests.
Description
Keywords
Coccinellidae Integrated pest management Olea europaea Organic farming Principal response curves Species abundance
Citation
Santos, S. A.; Pereira, J. A.; Raimundo, A.; Torres, L.M.; Nogueira, A.J.A. (2010). Response of coccinellid community to the dimethoate application in olive groves in northeastern Portugal. Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research. ISSN 1695-971X. 8:1, p. 126-134
Publisher
INIA