Abstract

RAMOS-TICONA, Verónica; REBAUDO, François; QUISPE TARQUI, Reinaldo  and  LOZA-MURGUIA, Manuel Gregorio. Identification and geographical distribution of the noctuid complex (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) pest of quinoa in the Northern and Central Altiplano of Bolivia. J. Selva Andina Res. Soc. [online]. 2024, vol.15, n.2, pp.75-89.  Epub Aug 30, 2024. ISSN 2072-9294.  https://doi.org/10.36610/j.jsars.2024.150200075.

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is attacked by several insect pests, being the Noctuid complex (Copitarsia sp., Helicoverpa spp., and Agrotis sp.) is one of the most important ones that decreases its yield. However, their taxonomy, as well as their geographic distribution, has not yet been fully studied. In order to identify the species of the Noctuideo complex (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) pest of the quinoa crop and its geographical distribution in the Northern and Central Altiplano of Bolivia, larvae of Noctuidae were collected in 32 quinoa-producing communities of the Northern (La Paz) and Central (La Paz and Oruro) Altiplano, were transferred to the Entomology laboratory of the Kʹiphakʹiphani-PROINPA Center (Viacha, La Paz) for rearing until adult specimens were obtained. Identification was carried out in the adult stage by the method of comparison with morphological illustrations and the reference collection of quinoa pest insects of Foundation PROINPA. Geographical distribution was carried out with ARC GIS 10.2 software based on latitude, longitude, and altitude data of the sampled plots and the determination of abundance based on the number of larvae and adults obtained per sampling point, supported by multiple linear regression and correlation with R 3.3.1 software. According to the results, the Noctuideo complex of quinoa in the Northern and Central Altiplano is composed of Agrotis araucaria (Hampson, 1903), Copitarsia incommoda (Walker, 1865) Copitarsia sp. (Hampson, 1906), Helicoverpa quinoa (Pogue & Harp, 2014), Helicoverpa titicacae (Hardwick, 1965) and Perizoma sordescens (Dognin, 1908). The geographic distribution of the Noctuideo complex was distinct, A. araucaria is distributed only in the Northern Altiplano, C. incommoda, H. quinoa, H. titicacae and P. sordescens are distributed in the Northern and Central Altiplano, and Copitarsia sp. in the Central Altiplano. In the Northern and Central Altiplano H. quinoa was the most abundant, followed by C. incommoda and P. sordescens, while H. titicacae, A. araucaria, and Copitarsia sp. were the least abundant. In the Northern Altiplano C. incommoda was the most abundant and in the Central Altiplano H. quinoa. According to the regression and correlation analyses, plot surface and plant height have a significant effect, that is, they would influence the abundance of larvae of the Noctuideo complex, however, the relative humidity would affect the abundance of C. incommoda and Copitarsia sp., likewise, the factors plot surface and maximum temperature would affect the abundance of H. quinoa in the Northern and Central Altiplano of Bolivia since they presented significant values.

Keywords : Quinoa; noctuid complex; insect pests; geographic distribution; pest abundance.

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