Arthropods-pest and predators associated with mango trees at the Vale do Sao Francisco, northestern Brazil

In order to identify and evaluate the occurrence of arthropods-pest and predators on mangoes at "Vale do Sao Francisco", northestern Brazil, studies were carried out in eight commercial plantations of the cv. Tommy Atkins, from February 2000 to January 2002. In each area, fruit flies were collected using McPhail and Jackson traps; other pests and predators were evaluated on samples of branches, panicles and fruits. ne arthropods-pest occurrence in decreasing order were: Aceria mangiferae (Sayed) (Acari: Eriophyidae) - 87.0 %; Pseudaonidia tribitiformis (Green) (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) - 70.1 %; Ceratitis capitata Wied. (Diptera: Tephritidae) - 66.1 %; Erosomyia mangiferae Felt (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) 64.6 %; Pleuroprucha asthenaria Walker (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) - 42.9 %; Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks) (Acari: Tarsonemidae) - 39.3 %; Anastrepha spp. (Diptera: Tephritidae) - 33.0 %; Selenothrips rubrocinctus (Giard) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) - 26.4 %; Oligonychus sp. (Acari: Tetranychidae) - 16.6 %; Frankliniella schultzei (Trybom) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) - 13, 1 %; unidentified mirid - 9.1 %, and aphids [Aphis craccivora Koch; Toxoptera aurantii (Boyer de Fonscolombe), A. gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae)] - 7.2 %. The predators were: Euseius concordis (Chant) and E. citrifolius (Denmark & Muma) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) - 32.7 %; Cheletogenes ornatus (Canestrini & Fanzago) (Acari: Cheyletidae) - 32.3 %; Rubroseirus sp. (Acari: Cunaxidae) - 17.7 %; unidentified arachnids - 16.6 %, and Chrysoperla externa (Hagen) and Ceraeochrysa cubana (Hagen) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) - 3.7 %.