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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Systematic Entomology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #291804
Title: First record of Diatraea tabernella in the Cauca River Valley of Colombia

Author
item VARGAS, G. - Colombian Agricultural Institute (ICA)
item LASTRA, A. - Colombian Agricultural Institute (ICA)
item Solis, M Alma

Submitted to: Florida Entomologist
Publication Type: Research Notes
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/18/2013
Publication Date: 12/13/2013
Citation: Vargas, G., Lastra, A.L., Solis, M.A. 2013. First record of Diatraea tabernella in the Cauca River Valley of Colombia. Florida Entomologist. 96(3):1198-1201.

Interpretive Summary: Diatraea species, commonly known as sugarcane borers, cause significant economic damage to sugarcane and other graminaceous crops in the Western Hemisphere. In Colombia the economic losses due to Diatraea species are estimated to be 143 kg of sucrose per each percent of bored internodes in sugarcane. Diatraea tabernella is recorded for the first time from the Cauca River Valley of Colombia. Images of the pupae and adult genitalia are provided. This information will be useful to sugarcane farmers and pest management workers.

Technical Abstract: Diatraea tabernella (Dyar) is first recorded in the Cauca River Valley of Colombia. Even though information on its status has been unknown for almost a century in Colombia, its recent register creates concern about its potential economic importance in virtue of its abundance and distribution in the northern region of the Cauca River Valley. Description of the pupa and male genitalia is given to aid in the identification of the species of Diatraea in the region, and highlights about perspectives of pest management are presented.