Early detection and preventive control of Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Coleoptera Curculionidae): a quarantine pest in Brazil

Red palm weevil (RPW) Rhynchophorus ferrugineus was described as pest from tropical Asia, Mediterranean Europe, North Africa and America (California USA, 2009 and Curacao and Aruba, 2011). There is a risk for RPW invasion in South and Central America, where the weevil could infest economic palms as coconut and Guinean oil palm. The possible invasion represents a severe risk to Brazilian agriculture, and now RPW is an A1 quarantine pest with pending alert. Having available a preventive strategy of monitoring and control before the pest enters the Country would mitigate the threat for the agriculture. Because of this we are developing in Brazil a semiochemical and biological control based strategies for RPW early detection and control. We set tests with Ferrugineol in olfactometer and lured traps in field to evaluate that semiochemical use to evaluate luring of the South American palm weevil (SAPW) Rhynchoporus palmarum as a model pest. Moreover, biological control agents such as entomopathogenic fungi and nematodes are now available for virulence bioassays in Brazil. Field tests will be conducted with a combination of semiochemical and biological agents to determine the level of control with R. palmarum. Subsequently, tests with RPW outside Brazil will be carried out. We expect to find promising combination of mass trapping and biocontrol agent to propose an effective action for the RPW management and the contemporary evaluation of its control efficacy. The study will suggest a new component to develop sustainable control strategies by the joining of intercontinental experiences and approaches.