Saccharum angustifolium (Nees) Trin. (Poales: Poaceae) as hibernacle for stink bugs during the soybean and corn off-season in Southern Brazil

Abstract

Host plants are key factors in the survival of true bugs during unfavorable periods. The objective of this study was to evaluate the composition, diversity and abundance of pentatomid bugs in Saccharum angustifolium (Nees) Trin. (Poales: Poaceae). Plants were evaluated during the soybean and corn off--season for five years. A total of 250 plants were sampled, the true bug population was counted and used for statistical and faunistic analysis. We observed the occurrence of the species: Euschistus heros (F.), Dichelops furcatus (F.), Dichelops melacanthus (Dallas), Edessa meditabunda (F.), and Edessa ruformaginata (De Geer). Among the species, the highest population density was verified for E. meditabunda, E. heros, and D. furcatus. We also observed a direct effect of the clump diameter on the population density of E. heros, D. furcatus, and E. meditabunda. Finally, we conclude that S. angustifolium plants serve as adequate hibernacles for the survival of true bugs of economic importance during the soybean and corn off-season.