Population dynamics of the Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) in three commercial orchards of Persian Lime (Citrus latifolia Tanaka) in San Juan Opico, La Libertad, El Salvador

Abstract

The research was conducted in three commercial farms of Persian lime (Citrus latifolia Tanaka) managed in a conventional way, located in counties of Minas de Plomo, El Llano and Joya de Cerén, in the municipality of San Juan Opico, department of La Libertad. , The objective of the research was to determine the population density of Diaphorina citri (in its egg, nymph, adult state) and its relationship with biotic factors (phenological factors of the plant: sprouting, flowering, fruiting) and the interaction with abiotic factors ( temperature, relative humidity and precipitation). Five samplings per farm were carry out to quantify the Diaphorina citri populations. The interval between visits was 21 days, during the months of August and November 2019. The field methodology was simple “T” sampling technique, for plantations of less than 7 blocks (5 hectares) and double “T” for plantations of more than 7 blocks (5 hectares) of cultivation. Tender shoots of 5 cm / plant were taken as the sampling unit, taking as reference the four cardinal points. The sampling methodology was exploratory, and the statistical technique used was Principal Component Analysis. These analyses were performed using the statistical software InfoStat®. The results showed that the highest population densities, with respect to the three phases of the insect, occurred in the months of August and October, coinciding with the sprouting in the trees. Statistical analysis showed, with respect to population densities, that there was a high correlation between temperatures and recorded precipitation, which explained 90.7% of the total variation of the variables studied