Identification and impact of Atractomerus pitangae: a new pest on Rio Grande Cherry seeds (Eugenia involucrata)

This study aimed to identify the insects which consumes Eugenia involucrata seeds and to evaluate the potential for damage to the seeds as well as the food substrate consumed by the attack. To obtain the data, a collection of fruits was carried out at the Forestry Research Center (FEPAGRO / Florestas) in the municipality of Santa Maria, RS, being conducted at the UFSM crop protection department. After seed processing were separated into healthy seeds and damaged seeds (those that contained an emergence hole for the insect). As for the analyzed seeds, there were a total of 3287 seeds, of which 1998 were healthy (60.08%), 1289 damaged seeds (39.2%) and a loss of substrate consumed of 7.65 g per seed, corresponding to a damage level of 39.98% of the food mass. It was found a high rate of predation in the seeds, which became unsuitable for the propagation of the plant. In this study, Atractomerus pitangae, associated with the predation of Eugenia involucrata seeds, was registered for the first time in southern Brazil.