Extrafloral nectary-bearing trees enhance pest control and increase fruit weight in associated coffee plants

• Ano de defesa: 2014
• Autor(a) principal: Rezende, Maíra Queiroz
• Tipo de documento: Tese
• Tipo de acesso: Acesso aberto
• Idioma: eng
• Instituição de defesa: Universidade Federal de Viçosa
• Palavras-chave em Português: Pragas agrícolas - Controle biológico; Bicho-mineiro do cafeeiro; Broca-do-café; Inga spp; Entomologia Agrícola
• Link de acesso: http://www.locus.ufv.br/handle/123456789/6633

The effect of the presence of an extrafloral nectary-bearing tree (Inga sp., Fabaceae) on the control of coffee leaf miner (Leucoptera coffeella) and coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei) in agroforestry coffee systems was assessed. The availability of nectar from Inga trees increased parasitism of coffee leaf miner and decreased damage on coffee plants. To uncover mechanisms behind enhanced pest control in agroforestry systems we assessed the effect of nectar feeding on fitness of natural enemies of coffee pests. Through a laboratory experiment, we assess the effect of a sugar-rich food source resembling nectar on life-history traits of a predatory thrips that was found inside bored coffee fruits and feeding on extrafloral nectar of Inga trees during surveys in coffee agroforestry systems. Also, we assessed the effect of the thrips predation on coffee berry borer population inside the berries. The predatory thrips benefited from feeding on sugar-rich food through increased survival. However, the developmental time of larvae was increased and they did not reach adulthood unless fed on coffee berry borers. Thrips did not decrease the abundance of coffee berry borer inside the berries. The effect of nectar from Inga trees on natural enemies of coffee leaf miners was also assessed. Four parasitoid species and one green lacewing species increased their survival when feeding on extrafloral nectar. Subsequently, we performed a field experiment comparing coffee yield, coffee damage and parasitism and predation of coffee pests between coffee plots with or without Inga trees. To evaluate the effect of nectar source proximity on coffee protection, we also assessed pest control and production along transects of 50 m extending from the Inga trees. Coffee fruit weight was increased when coffee was consorted with Inga trees. Damage caused by coffee leaf miners and coffee berry borers were also lower in consorted coffee plants and increased with distance from the trees. Parasitism and predation of coffee pests did not increase significantly when coffee was associated with Inga trees, but showed the proper trends. Therefore, Inga trees bearing extrafloral nectaries enhanced natural pest control of pests and production in coffee crops.