Determinación de la incidencia de tres plagas cuarentenarias Heilipus lauri Boeman, Heilipus trifasciatus Fabricius, Stenoma catenifer Walsingham y Phytophthora cinnamomi Rands, del Cultivo de aguacate en la vereda La Esperanza del Municipio de Urumita, La Guajira.

Abstract

The present work determined the incidence of three quarantine pests such as Heilipus lauri Boeman, Heilipus trifasciatus Fabricius, Stenoma catenifer Walsingham and Phytophthora cinnamomi Rands, of the avocado crop in the La Esperanza village of the Municipality of Urumita, La Guajira. For this purpose, phytosanitary inspections were carried out in the field, in 25 avocado producing properties in the La Esperanza village, the incidence of pests was evaluated in a sample of 30 plants per hectare. In production places where there were symptoms associated with the pest, root samples were taken for laboratory phytopathological analysis. To determine the level of knowledge of the producers, a survey of the 25 producers was applied as an information gathering tool to characterize the local production technology mode. In the case of the disease called root wilt, its symptoms were found in 80% of the properties evaluated. The incidence of this ranged between 0.6% and 30%, with the El Puente, EL Paraíso and La Gran China properties having the highest incidence. In the phytosanitary inspection in 4 of the 16 properties that were found in the fruiting stage, symptoms associated with the avocado seed borer were evident, but it was not possible to identify them since no specimens of the same were found. To characterize the levels of knowledge of the pests treated, carried out through surveys, the majority of producers expressed that, they do identify when an avocado tree is affected by a pest, but they did not know the type of phytopathogenic pest caused by fungi, bacteria , or in the case of arthropods such as insects. When lack of knowledge was evident in the identification of pests, a communication of the phytosanitary risk was carried out to the communities involved, through a practical theoretical workshop on a producing property, with teaching aids and collection specimens offered by an ICA official in the area. The basic level of knowledge of the pests that affect or could affect their farms was strengthened in IPM, Integrated Pest Management, emphasis on cultural practices, ethological control, mechanical, biological and chemical control that allow mitigating the incidence and severity due to the presence of these pests; and, finally, it is suggested to strengthen prevention, surveillance and control for integrated management, with preventive measures, identification and control of these quarantine pests and the radical wilt of the avocado tree.