For further information contact: Guillermo Sotelo

To overcome these limitations, we conducted a 5-year diagnostic study to (1) acquire new bioecological information on the pest complex specifically and on the family Cercopidae in general, (2) advance diverse components of integrated pest management, and (3) develop and evaluate research methodologies and technologies to promote higher quality research among national agricultural research systems. The study was carried out in five contrasting ecoregions in Colombia: Cauca River Valley, Caribbean Coast, Orinoquian Piedmont, Amazonian Piedmont, and South Pacific Coast.

The pest complex in each ecoregion was characterized through comparative biology and population ecology to establish patterns of variation in biology, behavior, and ecology. Such studies are fundamental for advancing management by tailoring control tactics to the diverse habitats, regions, and production systems where spittlebugs are economically important.

Among the diverse IPM components advanced in parallel to these basic studies was the evaluation of fungal entomopathogens as biological control agents. A collection of 77 strains isolated from spittlebugs was established and screened to identify promising isolates. The strains selected are being characterized for virulence across different life stages and species of spittlebugs and for deployment in recently initiated field trials in two ecoregions to establish application and evaluation techniques.

These studies led to the development of new and improved methodologies and technologies for studying spittlebugs and evaluating management tactics, including improved mass-rearing techniques and an artificial adult diet.

Download the whole document (281 kb).