title: Estimated crop loss due to coconut mite and financial analysis of controlling the pest using the acaricide abamectin.
abstract: Reducing the losses caused by Aceria guerreronis Keifer has been an arduous task for farmers. However, there are no detailed studies on losses that simultaneously analyse correlated parameters, and very few studies that address the economic viability of chemical control, the main strategy for managing this pest. In this study the objectives were (1) to estimate the crop loss due to coconut mite and (2) to perform a financial analysis of acaricide application to control the pest. For this, the following parameters were evaluated: number and weight of fruits, liquid albumen volume, and market destination of plants with and without monthly abamectin spraying (three harvests). The costs involved in the chemical control of A. guerreronis were also quantified. Higher A. guerreronis incidence on plants resulted in a 60 % decrease in the mean number of fruits harvested per bunch and a 28 % decrease in liquid albumen volume. Mean fruit weight remained unaffected. The market destination of the harvested fruit was also affected by higher A. guerreronis incidence. Untreated plants, with higher A. guerreronis infestation intensity, produced a lower proportion of fruit intended for fresh market and higher proportions of non-marketable fruit and fruit intended for industrial processing. Despite the costs involved in controlling A. guerreronis, the difference between the profit from the treated site and the untreated site was 18,123.50 Brazilian Real; this value represents 69.1 % higher profit at the treated site.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Entomologia Agrícola, Departamento de Agronomia/Entomologia, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Rua Dom Manoel de Medeiros s/n, Dois Irmãos, Recife, PE, 52171-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rezende
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fitotecnia - Entomologia, Universidade Federal do Ceará - Campus do Pici, Avenida Mister Hull, n 2977, Bloco 805, Sala 215, Fortaleza, CE, CEP 60356-000, Brazil. wagnermelo@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: José W S
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.affiliation: Embrapa Semiárido, Entomologia, Br 428 km 152, Caixa Postal 23, Petrolina, PE, 56302-970, Brazil.
authors.forename: José E M
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Entomologia Agrícola, Departamento de Agronomia/Entomologia, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Rua Dom Manoel de Medeiros s/n, Dois Irmãos, Recife, PE, 52171-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Manoel G C
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Gondim
mesh_terms: D056810:Acaricides; D000383:Agriculture / Q000191:economics*; D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D003059:Cocos / Q000191:economics* / Q000254:growth & development; D005638:Fruit / Q000191:economics / Q000254:growth & development; D007559:Ivermectin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D008925:Mites; D013983:Tick Control
chemical_list: D056810:Acaricides; C048324:abamectin; D007559:Ivermectin
keywords: Abamectin; Aceria guerreronis; Cocos nucifera; Economic viability; Production