EVALUATION OF THE EFFICIENCY OF COLOR STICKY TRAPS IN SAMPLING TIME FOR THE CAPTURE OF Aeneolamia spp. (HEMIPTERA: CERCOPIDAE) AND ARTHROPODS PRESENT IN SUGAR CANE IN PANAMA

Background. One of the main pests of sugarcane are spittlebugs Aeneolamia spp. The use of sticky trap yellow and green colored has been proposed as an alternate monitoring method without definitively determining which color is the most effective. Objective. Evaluate the capture efficiency of colored glue plastic traps on spittlebugs during the sampling period and the general capture of arthropods in sugarcane in Panama. Methodology. The efficiency of sticky traps of yellow, green, blue, white and red colors on spittlebugs populations over time and the general capture of arthropods present in sugarcane in Panama were evaluated. For the observation of spittlebugs in time in ten localities, five traps of the colors mentioned above were established, which were reviewed weekly for four weeks. For the general capture of arthropods, work was carried out in five different locations with an equal number of traps and weeks of observation. Results. In the case of catches in traps associated with the capture time, 2675 individuals of Aeneolamia spp. were captured, where 99% corresponded to Aneolamia lepidior (Fowler) and 1% to Aneolamia reducta (Lallemand). The highest captures were given in yellow traps (52%), followed by green traps (43%), without presenting differences between them but rather an effect of observation time in the capture, which increased from the first week to the fourth. With respect to the general capture of arthropods, 2331 species were found mainly in yellow traps (46.6%) and green traps (41.2%), where 88.4% corresponded to phytophagous insects and less than 10% to predators and parasitoids, with no differences between yellow and green traps in the capture of beneficial insects. Implications. This research implies the importance of integrating alternatives such as sticky plastic traps within the integrated management of the spittlebug in sugar cane. Conclusions. The yellow and green sticky plastic traps turned out to be equally efficient for the capture of spittlebugs species at sampling time, representing an alternative within integrated management programs of the spittlebugs in sugar cane.