Abstract

BRUNO, M.A.  and  GRILLI, M.P.. The effect of the configuration of winter grass plots on dispersing populations of Delphacidae (Insecta: Homoptera). Agriscientia [online]. 2007, vol.24, n.2, pp.61-69. ISSN 1668-298X.

Landscape configuration can affect the distribution and abundance of insect species. The objective of this work was to determine the effect of landscape elements configuration on the abundance of dispersing individuals of Delphacidae species. Delphacid species are important vectors of pathogenic viruses causing diseases of economic importance on grain production. The study was performed in the central area of Córdoba Province, Argentina; the insects were collected with sticky traps placed in plant host patches. The landscape metrics estimated were: host patch area, Mean Proximity Index (MPI) and the Percentage of Landscape occupied (PLAND) by host patches of the same class. The abundance of Delphacodes kuscheli showed a positive relationship with patch area of the winter pastures. There was a positive relationship between Mean Proximity Index of winter pastures patches and D. kuscheli and D . balboae abundances. The Percentage of Landscape occupied by the winter pastures patches also showed a positive relationship with Delphacodes kuscheli, Delphacodes balboae and Delphacodes haywardi abundances. Finally we found no relationship between Toya propinqua abundance and any of the landscape metrics analyzed in this work. These results show that landscape configuration has a different effect on the dispersing population of the different species of Delphacidae.

Keywords : Delphacidae; Landscape configuration; Landsat 5 TM; Agricultural pest; Agroecosystems.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )