The Anastrepha (Tephritidae) fruit fly complex was considered the single insect-related threat of commercial orchards in the Chiapas State of Mexico. More than 322 species of insects and mites have been recorded as pests of mango ( Peña et al. At present, there are about 18,000 ha planted ( Magallanes-Cedeno 2004). 2011).Ītaulfo mango is considered the best agricultural option for farmers along the Pacific Coast namely, the Soconusco region ( Gehrke 2008). Due to its wide acceptance in local and international markets, the popularity of this cultivar has increased rapidly in the last few years, and it currently is produced throughout Mexico, Spain, and in many other countries in Central and South America ( Infante et al. It was discovered serendipitously, growing freely in Tapachula, Chiapas, at the end of the 1950's ( Magallanes-Cedeño 2004 Infante et al. Ataulfo is a polyembrionic, yellow cultivar, perhaps the most popular mango from Mexico. The seed contains several embryos, but only one embryo is zygotic in origin and three to eight seedlings originate from a single seed ( Ram & Litz 2009). Fruits of Asian types are usually yellow.
The fruit skin of Indian types is usually red with a seed that contains a single sexual embryo, and a single plant grows from the seed. Mango genotypes are typically divided into two distinct categories: monoembryonic mangoes, which are mostly subtropical (Indian types) and polyembryonic mangos, which are mostly tropical (Southeast Asian types). There are more than a thousand cultivars (=varieties) of mango ( Mukherjee 1953), from which only around 30 are commercially important and dominate mango plantations worldwide ( Galán-Saúco 2009). The international trade of mangoes is dominated by India and Mexico, the biggest exporters worldwide ( Evans 2008). With approximately 185,000 hectares planted, Mexico is typically the fourth largest producer. This species was introduced into Mexico before 1779 from the Philippines ( Purseglove 1972) and it has been intensively cultivated since then. Mango is commercially cultivated in over 95 countries in tropical and subtropical agroecosystems where it is adapted. This ancient fruit from the Indo-Burma region has become, after banana, the most important tropical fruit worldwide ( Rehm & Espig 1991 Mukherjee & Litz 2009). Mango ( Mangifera indica L.) is an economically important species of the family Anacardiaceae. This suggests that the use of broad-spectrum synthetic insecticides is not effective for thrips control and the use of other methods is necessary. Both mango orchards had statistically similar numbers ( P > 0.05) of thrips over time. Frankliniella invasor was the most abundant species throughout the flowering cycle in both orchards with a mean of 613 individuals per inflorescence. A new species of Frankliniella was collected as well.
This included phytophagous species in the genera Frankliniella, Arorathrips, Haplothrips and Scirtothrips, and the predatory thrips Aeolothrips microstriatus Hood, Franklinothrips orizabensis Johansen, Karnyothrips texensis (Hood) and K. Species composition was consistent in both orchards. The results confirm the presence of 15 species of thrips in 7 genera and 3 families. Inflorescences were sampled every five days, from Nov 2008 to Feb 2009.
Two representative orchards were selected: the orchard “Tres-A” characterized by an intensive use of agrochemicals, especially broad-spectrum synthetic insecticides directed against thrips, and the orchard “Rancho La Escondida” that does not spray insecticides. The present study was conducted with the main objective of determining the diversity of thrips in Ataulfo mango flowers in Chiapas, Mexico. However, numerous growers spray synthetic insecticides on a regular basis against thrips to reduce populations. Among other aspects, the insect fauna associated with this cultivar has not been formally studied.
Because of its relatively recent discovery, few studies have been carried out on the best agricultural practices for production of this cultivar, and there is wide variation in methods among growers. ‘Ataulfo’ mango ( Mangifera indica L.) is the most popular cultivar of mango to have originated in Mexico.