Cranberries are affected by a lethal plague

20/11/2015

From the Maule region to the Aysén region, there are 1.600 hectares planted with blueberries, of which 12% are located in the province of Ñuble. In the last time, the plantations are being affected by a plague that is commonly known as the "plum kid" (Aegorhinus nodipennis).

"This insect causes damage both in its adult state and in its larval stage, but the main damage is to the larval stage. So, the damage it causes is that it produces galleries inside the root, which weakens the plant to death. ", detailed the biochemistry of INIA Quilamapu, Irina Urtubia.

Urtubia pointed out that "Generally farmers realize the problem when they see some adults on the surface, but already at that time is the damage installed. The females lay many eggs, then multiply very fast. "

The biochemistry explained that in the project they are working on, they have the possibility of looking for which entomopathogenic fungi and which nematodes can control the insect.

"The advantage of nematodes, so that it is understood is like a worm species that has the ability to move within the profile of the soil and find the target larva, are highly specific and, in this project, we find two isolates that control in the laboratory the 100% of the larvae, that is, cause the 100% mortality, which is very good because it means that on the ground we would be getting close to an 80% in the best of cases "Pointed.

Source: Ladiscusion.cl