RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DAMAGE ON LEAVES CAUSED BY Liriomyza huidobrensis (DIPTERA, AGROMIZYDAE), ADULTS TRAPPED IN STICKY TRAPS AND PARASITOIDS IN A COMMERCIAL CROPS OF Cucurbita maxima VAR. zapallito (CUCURBITACEAE)

Abstract

Agromyzid leafminers cause damages in ornamental and horticultural crops. The objective of this study was to evaluate the number of adults of L. huidobrensis trapped in sticky traps in C. maxima var. zapallito and connect this with the total leaves, leaves damaged and parasitoids at different monitoring dates, and determine the correlation between the number of larvae and parasitoids, according to the number of galleries per leaf. Six traps were placed in a commercial plot, and they were replaced weekly. The total and damaged leaves were recorded weekly in 15 randomly picked plants. Damaged leaves were taken to laboratory where galleries per leaf were counted. Each leaf with a gallery was placed in a Petri dish until leafminer or parasitoid adults emerged. Liriomyza huidobrensis caused damage in in early crop stages. There was correspondence between adult population and damage and number of galleries per leaf with significant differences in the first monitoring date, which was not found with parasitoids.