Principales insectos plagas y enfermedades que afectan a la caña de azúcar en el ecuador

Abstract

Due to the great importance of the crop in the country's economy, it is necessary to know the main insect pests and diseases that attack sugarcane. The main insect pests are: Leafhoppers (Perkinsiella saccharicida), Stem Borer (Diatrae saccharalis Fabricius), Spittlebug (Mahanarva andigena Jacobi) and Striped Palm Weevil (Metamasius hemipterus L.). It is vitally important to know the biological cycle of these insect pests, which allows them to be handled in a timely manner and avoid losses. Biological control measures are the most efficient way to combat insect pests in sugarcane, using parasitoid insects and entomopathogenic fungi. Among the main diseases present in Ecuador are: diseases caused by fungi such as coal whip (Sporisorium scitamineum H. Sydow. & P. Sydow), Coffee Rust (Puccinia melanocephala H. Sydow. & P. Sydow), diseases caused by bacteria such as Soca RSD (Leifsonia subsp xyli) rickets, LSD leaf scald (Xanthomonas albilineans) and diseases caused by viruses such as Sugarcane yellow leaf virus (SCYLV) and Sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV). ) Potyviridae. The main control measures to combat diseases are the use of resistant cultivars provided by the National Sugarcane Research Center of Ecuador (CINCAE) and the introduction of foreign cultivars, which is complemented by the production and release of entomophagous entomopathogens and the use of certified sugarcane seed for new plantations.