Autoria: OLIVEIRA, C. M. de; FIALHO, J. de F.; FONTES, J. R. A.

Resumo: ABSTRACT: The cassava (Maninhot esculenta Crantz) it is an important source of energy, it has rusticity and high yield potential, and is the base food for more than 700 million people in the world. It is considered one of the most tolerant growing crop to the insects damages, however, is a host plant about 200 species of arthropods in the American continent. In Brazil the most hazardous pests are present in the aerial part of the plant causing damages in the leaves, sprout destruction, stems and branches damages, leaves fall, depressing yield and in some cases causing plant death. Recently, the presence of mealybugs in the cassava roots and also in the leaves has been detected in States of Goiás, Minas Gerais, Bahia e Distrito Federal. The continuous presence of these insects causes quantitative and qualitative damages. Specimens of mealybugs collected in the high infestation fields were identified as Protortonia navesi Fonseca (Hemiptera: Margarodidae). It is autochthonous specie described in the end of70's located in plants collected in Distrito Federal. Regarding the damage potential of this new pest represents for the cassava crop, principally in the Brazilian Cerrado where its presence was already verified, it is recommended to add these insect to the Integrated Pest Management Programs. The objective of this publication is to support basic information about the bioecology, dissemination and damages of the cassava roots mealybug, P. navesi.

Ano de publicação: 2005

Tipo de publicação: Folhetos

Unidade: Embrapa Cerrados

Palavras-chave: Cochonilha, Entomologia, Insecta, Inseto, Mandioca, Maninhot esculenta, Pests of plants, Praga de Planta, cassava, entomology