Abstract

LISCANO, O.A.  and  DOMINGUEZ GIL, O. Intraplant distribution of immatures lifestages of Antichloris viridis Druce, 1884 (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae) on plantain (Musa AAB, sub group plantain, cv. Hartón) in the south of lake Maracaibo, Venezuela.. Rev. Fac. Agron. [online]. 2005, vol.22, n.4, pp.340-353. ISSN 0378-7818.

The intraplant vertical distribution of the Antichloris viridis, was determined at Francisco Javier Pulgar and Colón counties, Zulia state, Venezuela, in two commercial plantain plantations. According to the number of leaves and physiological stage of the plant were determinated the stages of development growth of the plants (GD) in six growth stages. It was determined the % of defoliation and the numbers of eggs, small, median, large larvae and pupae per leaf. Each plant was divided into 3 stratums: upper, middle and lower. The greatest numbers of A. viridis inmatures were found on GD4 y GD5 plants (P<0.05) in la Providencia orchard, and GD4 in El Manantial orchard. Values ³10% of defoliation in GD3 and GD4 were observed in both orchards. Significantly higher defoliation was found in the presence of 5 or more larvae in the Providencia orchard and £2 in El Manantial. Regarding the distribution within plants of A. viridis stages, the largest number of immature stages was found on the middle stratum GD4. These data suggest that monitoring for immature stages of A. viridis could be best accomplished by examining the middle stratum of plants on GD4.

Keywords : Sampling; vertical distribution; defoliation; Arctiidae; foliage feeders; monitoring.