Population fluctuation of thrips en cultivos de mango en Tolima, Colombia

Mango is one of the tropical fruits with the highest production worldwide; in Colombia is a crop with a great export potential. However, insect pests such as thrips, can affect its quality and production. In this research the relationship of the population fluctuation of thrips (Frankliniella cf. gardeniae) with climatic conditions and mango (var. Yulima and Tommy) phenology in Guamo and San Luis (Tolima) was evaluated. Trips were weekly sampled in both inflorescences and young leaves of mango and associated weeds; phenological stages of the crop and climatic conditions (temperature, relative humidity and precipitation) were recorded and the probability of the presence of thrips in mango flowers was determined. A total number of 8,609 thrips individuals, including adults and immatures, were collected. The population fluctuation of Frankliniella cf. gardeniae presented a positive relationship with flowering (R = 0.79 var. Yulima and Tommy) and temperature (R = 0.43 var. Yulima; R = 0.48 var. Tommy). It was recorded the genera of the phytophagous trips Frankliniella and Haplothrips, in the weeds Desmodium tortuosum and Melochia parvifolia. The flowers and fruits up to 8 mm size were the most susceptible to insect attack. Finally, the higher probability of the thrips presence in mango flowers had two main periods, 7-63 days and 161-163 days after flowering. Frankliniella cf. gardeniae behaved as an occasional pest, present when the food source was available and the climatic conditions were adequate. Key words: Phenology, inflorescence, flowering, pest, climatic conditions. El mango es una de las frutas tropicales con mayor produccion a nivel mundial; en Colombia es un cultivo con gran potencial de exportacion. Sin embargo, insectos plaga como los trips, pueden incidir en su calidad y produccion. En esta investigacion se evaluo la relacion de la fluctuacion poblacional de trips (Frankliniella cf. gardeniae) con las condiciones climaticas, la fenologia del mango (var. Yulima y Tommy) y los hospederos alternos en el Guamo y San Luis (Tolima). Semanalmente se muestrearon trips en inflorescencias, hojas jovenes de mango y en arvenses asociadas, se registraron los estados fenologicos del cultivo, las condiciones climaticas (temperatura, humedad relativa y precipitacion) y se determino la probabilidad de presencia de trips en inflorescencias de mango. En total se recolectaron 8.609 individuos de trips entre adultos y ninfas. La fluctuacion poblacional de F. cf. gard