Cotton aphid threatens productivity and requires management.

O cotton aphid (Aphis gossypii) It is one of the main pests in cotton cultivation. Due to its ease of multiplication, a single crop can suffer several generations of the insect, whose life cycle is completed in an interval of 7 to 10 days, under ideal conditions.

“The aphid deforms the plant's leaves and hinders its growth. It also makes photosynthesis difficult, increasing the obstacles for the plant to develop fully,” explains agronomist Luiz Henrique Marcandalli, head of marketing at Rainbow Agro.

Tiny and varying in color from yellow to green, aphids possess sucking mouthparts, allowing them to pierce the plant to feed on its sap. They release a sugary liquid onto the leaf that attracts ants, creating the ideal environment for the development of sooty mold, a result of fungal action. capnodium spp.

The insect can also transmit microorganisms that cause diseases, amplifying economic and productivity problems – in severe cases, up to 40% of production can be compromised. Among the main diseases it vectors are vein mosaic (Vein mosaic virus) and the reddish hue of cotton (Cotton anthocyanosis virusThe preferred climate for proliferation consists of high temperature and very low humidity.

“In terms of production and economics, aphids reduce the quality of cotton fiber. The sticky liquid released by the insect, called “honeydew,” makes the fibers stickier, impacting the value when the producer sells the cotton,” explains the agronomist. Sticky cotton is the name given to cotton impacted by the honeydew produced by aphids.

The loss in productivity is also due to the costs required to control the aphid. Along with other sucking insects, the cotton aphid is the target of 40% of sprayings. insecticides.