Scientia Agricola (2018) 75, 504-508

Adelino de Santi-Júnior, Victor Wilson Botteon, Thiago Mastrangelo and Marcelo Zacharias Moreira (2018)
Trophic ecology of citrus pests based on stable isotope analysis
Scientia Agricola 75 (6), 504-508
Abstract: Macrodactylus pumilio Burm. (Coleoptera: Scarabeidae) and Naupactus cervinus (Boh.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) are considered primary pests in citrus crops in Brazil, causing damage to plants and decreasing productivity. However, few studies investigate the ecology of these insects. In this context, the use of stable isotopes analysis (SIA) emerges as an alternative technique to conventional studies of behavioral ecology because it is faster and may explain feeding behavior based on the food source for each species. Field sampling and laboratory experiments were carried out to examine the changes of carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) among pests and host plants (C₃ citrus and C₄ grasses), providing means to examine trophic interactions. Beetles were collected at the municipality of Gavião Peixoto, São Paulo State, identified and kept at 5 °C in saturated saline solution until the SIA. Two patterns for both species were found: δ¹³C value for N. cervinus was -23.6 ‰ and -13 ‰ for M. pumilio, indicating similarity between the results of δ¹³C of N. cervinus and citrus plants (-26 ‰) and dependence on grasses (-12 ‰) for M. pumilio individuals. The mean δ¹⁵N value was 4.3 and 5.8 ‰ for citrus plants and grass leaves, respectively, and the mean δ¹⁵N value was 4.4 ‰ for N. cervinus and 4.9 ‰ for M. pumilio. The results showed a higher affinity of N. cervinus for citrus roots since the larval stage compared with the alternative diet on M. pumilio.
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Database assignments for author(s): Thiago Mastrangelo

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
environment - cropping system/rotation

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Naupactus cervinus	Citrus (genus)	Brazil (south)
	Macrodactylus pumilio	Citrus (genus)	Brazil (south)