Distribuição espaço-temporal de cigarrinhas (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) vetores da Xylella fastidiosa em pomares cítricos Spatial-temporal distribution of sharpshooters (Hemyptera: Cicadellidae) insect vectors of Xylella fastidiosa in citrus orchards

Variegated chlorosis (CVC) is a citrus disease, reported initially in the northwest of Sao Paulo state and in the Triângulo Mineiro region of Minas Gerais state in 1987. The CVC is caused by the xylematic bacteria Xylella fastidiosa. The bacteria is spread through contaminated bubbles or by insect vectors belonging to the Hemyptera order and Cicadellidae family. The aimed of this study was to identify the species of Xylella fastidiosa insect vector and to determine its spatial and temporal distribution in commercial orchards of sweet orange (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck). The experiment was conducted in a commercial area of sweet orange, Pera variety, grafted on Rangpur lime, located in northwest Parana. For sampling, yellow sticky traps were used, distributed in the peripheral and central area of the orchard with four replicates per street sampled (5, 30, 55 and 80th plant), each plant was considered a sample unit. Were evaluated ten plots per street, totaling 40 traps for sampling. Every thirty days during the evaluation period, the traps were renewed in the orchard. The main species caught were Acrogonia citrine and Dilobopterus costalimai. The highest incidences occurred from winter to spring, and summer to autumn of the next year. According to the geostatistical analysis, the spatial distribution of these species concentrated in the peripheral zone of the portion where a higher incidence of these species was captured. The results show that it is necessary to adopt pest management practices for the Cicadellidae vector of X. fastidiosa differentiated in space and time.