POSTHARVEST CONTROL OF Pseudococcus viburni (HEMIPTERA: PSEUDOCOCCIDAE) IN POMEGRANATES (Punica granatum) BY IMMERSION IN WARM DETERGENT SOLUTIONS

摘要: The obscure mealybug Pseudococcus viburni is a major quarantine pest of pomegranates (Punica granatum) in Chile, causing significant rejections during postharvest fruit inspections. To develop alternative control measures, infested were immersed one the sixteen post-harvest treatments, combining following four factors completely randomized block design with a factorial structure: detergent concentration (0 and 1%), water temperature (15 or 47°C), pH (5.5 and 8.5), exposure time (6 15 min). After immersions, stored for month at cold storage (5°C) followed by 24 h at room temperature. number total live mealybugs (survivorship) different developmental stages (I, II, III nymphal instars, adult females) was counted. Water had effect reducing survival, but there no interactions remaining factors. Individually, concentration, pH, did not have statistically effects, but interaction x pH x (for all mealybugs) II instar nymphs) reduced significantly infestation. While some treatments significantly reduced population of P. viburni, treatment combinations infestation up to 98%, there always some survivors from stages; therefore, satisfied international criteria for postharvest. It important note that affect quality, suggesting that further evaluations these higher levels could be promising avenue control.