Occurrence of pollinating beetles on oil palm inflorescences treated with insecticides injection

Abstract

The most important oil palm pollinators are Elaeidobius subvittatus and Elaeidobius kamerunicus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Thus, techniques for integrated pest management that preserve these beneficial organisms should be studied. Therefore, this research aimed to verify the effect of abamectin or imidacloprid injections on oil palm pollinating beetle incidence. The study was carried out at the Lemos Maia Experimental Station in the municipality of Una, Bahia state, using 12-year-old oil palm plants. Imidacloprid or abamectin was applied via injection and the emergence of E. kamerunicus and E. subvttatus adults in male inflorescences was verified. It was used a completely randomized design. The number of individuals of the species E. kamerunicus, regardless of the treatment applied, was higher than E. subvittatus. Furthermore, the number of E. kamerunicus and E. subvittatus that emerged of plants treated with abamectin or imidacloprid injections did not differ significantly from the control treatment, without insecticide. Thus, it is concluded that the application of abamectin or imidacloprid via injection in oil palm plants does not affect the number of individuals of E. kamerunicus and E. subvittatus emerged from male flowers.