Do thrips (Insecta: Thysanoptera) cause economic damage to Hancornia speciosa Gomes fruits?

ABSTRACT

The mangaba Hancornia speciosa Gomes (Apocynaceae) is more commercially viable than other native Cerrado fruit trees due to its nutritional properties and high production of fruit used in food products. Although thrips have been reported injuring mangaba, the identification of possible species of economic importance is not yet available. Thus, identifying species that may threaten mangaba plant health is a vital step in implementing management strategies. The aim of this present study was to survey thrips species during the reproductive stage of H. speciosa, determine the variety most susceptible to damage caused by these insects and to check whether the damage is economically important to this fruit tree. Thrips were collected from the ex-situ germplasm of the Agronomy School of the Federal University of Goiás, in Goiás state, Brazil. Twelve plants of three H. speciosa varieties (gardneri, cuyabensis and pubescens) were selected, from which 20 flowers and 20 fruits were assessed for the presence of thrips in September 2018 and 2019. A total of 1,306 thrips representing 13 species were collected from flowers. Of these, Frankliniella gemina was the most abundant. On the fruits, circular lesions were observed, initially as white spots that subsequently turned silver, possibly caused by Heliothrips longisensibilis. These injuries are superficial, rarely compromising large portions of the fruit, and do not cause economic damage. Therefore, thrips are not a primary threat to fruit production for fresh consumption or processing.

Keywords:
Apocynaceae; Frankliniella gemina; Heliothrips longisensibilis; Thripidae