On Monitoring Mahanarva fimbriolata Stal (Hemiptera: Cercopidae) in Sugarcane Fertirrigated with Vinasse

Mahanarva fimbriolata Stal has become a key pest in tropical sugarcane fields. A precise monitoring is required in order to avoid a significant increase in the pest population to levels that cause economic damage. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of fertirrigation with vinasse on the spatiotemporal distribution of M. fimbriolata and on the sampling effort for monitoring. The spatial distribution was analyzed in two fields of 1.5 hectare each, divided into 100 plots of five rows of 20 m long. One of the fields did not receive fertirrigation. Surveys were made on the central lines of each plot, from November 2017 to March 2018, by quantifying the infestation of nymphs and adults. The circular variable-radius moving windows method was applied for spatial data analysis. The adults and nymphs of M. fimbriolata presented an aggregated pattern when the population reached its peaks. At the second generation of the population, the general infestation is higher in the non-fertirrigated area. It is recommended to sample from 22 to 32 points per hectare. The sampling effort is not related to the vinasse fertirrigation.