Current research on insect pollination of cocoa in Bahia

A research programme is being conducted in Bahia, Brazil, which aims to investigate various aspects of the bioecology of the cacao pollinating midge Forcipomyia sp. s. lat. including its taxonomy, breeding sites, population dynamics and the effect of insecticides, fungicides, and climate on Ceratopogonid field populations. Although the Ceratopogonid species actually pollinating cacao in Bahia have not yet been identified, a number of possible candidates are listed. Exergence box experiments have shown that empty, rotting cacao pod husks and leaf litter provide breeding sites. The insecticide BHC 1 percent, did not appear to have any effect on Ceratopogonid leaf-litter populations. Their numbers seem to be influenced by the amount of soil water present, the population increasing when the soil is water saturated. The leaf-litter population peak was from June to August, during which period flowering is poor or nonexistent. The high flowering peak of December and January was associated with a low Ceratopogonid population. Cicadellidae (Homoptera) aphids; principally Toxoptera aurantii B. de Fonsc., and various Coccidae, the latter two attended mainly by Crematogaster and Myrmicine ants, constitute the majority of insects permanently associated with cacao flowers. There was no evidence, however, that these insects acted as pollinators. Recently initiated experiments for studying the effect of fungicides on midge populations developing in cacao husk heaps are described. The possibility of increasing natural pollination is also discussed

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	107834 Quesnel, V.C., 56331 Chalmers, W.S., 68473 Fordham, R., 80036 Iton, E.F. eds., 131777 Winder, J.A., 119151 Silva, P., 97646 Murray, D.B., Jones, Earl 81495, 5330 Cocoa Research Institute, St. Augustine (Trinidad y Tobago), 4. International Cocoa Research Conference St. Augustine (Trinidad y Tobago) 8-18 Ene 1972
Format:	biblioteca
Published:	St. Augustine (Trinidad y Tobago) 1972
Subjects:	THEOBROMA CACAO, POLINIZACION, POLINIZADORES, PROYECTOS DE INVESTIGACION, DISTRIBUCION NATURAL, EVOLUCION DE LA POBLACION, FENOLOGIA, FORCIPOMYIA, CERATOPOGONIDAE, BAHIA, BRASIL,
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