Pest insects in natural and sown pastures of Paraguay

Resumen

Paraguayan livestock production is based mainly on the use of natural and sown pastures as basic cattle feed. Several genera of harmful insects reported in forage grasses can cause damage to both yield and quality of forage. A review of the insect collection of the Plant Protection Area of the Faculty of Agrarian Sciences, National University of Asunción was carried out, in order to prepare a list of insects with incidence in grasses. Then random sampling of different species of Poaceae showing insect damage in open areas of paddocks grazed by cattle was carried out during 2014‒2017 in all Regions of Paraguay. Thirteen different genera and species of pastures were collected and 20 species of insects were identified in the following orders: Hymenoptera (Formicidae family: 5 species); Isoptera (Termitidae: 3 species); Hemiptera (Cercopidae: 6 species; Lygaeidae: 1 species); Lepidoptera (Noctuidae: 2 species); and Orthoptera (Acrididae: 3 species). The most common forms of damage observed in pastures were: leaf consumption (25%), leaf cutting (25%) and leaf yellowing-drying (35%).