Insetos associados a cultura da beldroega (Portulaca oleracea Linneu, 1758) no munícipio de São Luís – MA

Abstract

Portulaca oleracea L. is a plant from the Portulacaceae family, which has the following common names: beldroega, beldroega-pequena, boldo-de-porco, beldroega-vermelha, beldroega-da-horta and beldoega. The main characteristics of this species are: herbaceous, succulent and annual, up to 40 cm tall, simple fleshy green foliage. The purslane in this sense has great relevance either for its economic or agricultural characteristics and little is known about the insects associated with this crop, whether beneficial or not. Therefore the research aimed to identify the insects associated with the ornamental plant of the species Portulaca oleracea L. in different locations in the city of São Luís-MA. The research was conducted in the field, with monthly collections in each area at five random points, composed of ten 15 cm branches. For each point collected, the branches were placed in paper bags with a capacity of ½ kilo, properly identified by location and date of collection and stored in a Styrofoam box. The collected material was taken to the Entomology Laboratory to sort the specimens found and then individualized in plastic cups with a capacity of 50 ml, containing 70% alcohol, then followed for the identification of specimens, where they were analyzed and the results obtained were prepared, which were a greater number of maleficent insects, having the Order Hemiptera with the largest number of 304 insects counted, among mealybugs, bed bugs, soldiers and aphids, followed by the Order Hymenoptera with 37 individuals, followed by the Order Coleoptera with 3, these showing to be beneficial to culture. Reaching the objective and conclusion of this work of identification and association of insects to the purslane