Insect pollination of cacao in Costa Rica, 1: Preliminary list of the ceratopogonid midges collected from flowers

Lack of pollination is a limiting factor in the production of cacao in many parts of Central and South America. Although other insects such as thrips, ants and aphids may accidentally pollinate cacao flowers, in recent years some species of tiny Forcipomyia midges have been shown to be the most effective and important pollinators. As little was known about these midges, studies were conducted in Costa Rica to determine the kind and numbers of midges visiting cacao flowers in field conditions. Species of four Forcipomyia midges were found to pollinate cacao flowers at Turrialba, Costa Rica, in the following decreasing order of effectiveness when numbers and frequency of pollinating activity were considered: a) F. (Euprojoannisia) blantoni (efficiency factor of 106); b) F. (Warmkea) tuberculata (38); c) F. (Thyridomyia) spp. (25); and d) F. (Microhelea) fuliginosa and F. (Forcipomyia) spp. (23). Non-pollinating midges, including some in the above subgenera, were 10 timers as numerous as pollinating midges in collections from cacao flowers. It is concluded that the aforementioned pollinating species should be protected and their reproduction encouraged to raise the levels of natural pollination in Costa Rica.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	120629 Soria, S. de J., 131860 Wirth, W.W., 56579 Chapman, R.K.
Format:	biblioteca
Published:	1980
Subjects:	THEOBROMA CACAO, FORCIPOMYIA, CERATOPOGONIDAE, POLINIZADORES, MUESTREO, COSTA RICA,
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