Effects of spitllebug feeding on forage and root production of Brachiaria decumbens and Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu (BRA-000019)

• Autor(a) principal: Hewitt, George B.
• Data de Publicação: 2014
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira (Online)
• Texto Completo: https://seer.sct.embrapa.br/index.php/pab/article/view/17201
• topic: Zulia entreriana, nimphal feeding, adults, insect, plant damage; Zulia entreriana, ninfas, adultos, insetos, alimentação, dano à pastagem

The spittlebug Zulia entreriana was used in laboratory feeding tests te evaluate the degree of damage to the foliage and roots of Brachiaria decumbens and Brachiaria brizantha. Nymphal feeding on B. decumbens reduced the weight of foliage by an average ef 21% and the roots by 36%; adults reduced the foliage weight by 27% and the roots by 48%. Nymphs and adults feeding on the same plant reduced the foliage weight by an average of 36% and the roots by 50%. The degree of damage was ia direct proportion te insect density; the more insects per plant, the greater the amount of damage. In one test, significantly (P < 0.05) more new shoots were produced on B. decumbens plants that contained a high density of adults. The reduction in root weights due to insect feeding was about 1¹'² time greater than that for foliage. Brachiaria brizantha was less affected by insect feeding than Was B. decumbens. Weight differences between the control plants and the infested plants were less on B. brizantha and plant recovery, once insects were removed, was faster.