Distribution of Haplaxius crudus (Van Duzee, 1907) (Hemiptera: Cixiidae), in the oil palm areas of Colombia

Abstract

Lethal wilt of oil palm (ML, for it name in Spanish) is an economically important disease of the oil palm Elaeis guineensis Jacq., 1897 (Arecales: Arecaceae) in Colombia, where it has reached epidemic levels in the Eastern Palm Zone, with 902,529 cases recorded between 1997 and 2018. The insect vector of ML is probably the cixiid planthopper Haplaxius crudus. The objective of this study was to obtain information on the presence and distribution of H. crudus in the oil palm areas of Colombia. Sampling was carried out by passing an insect net to the oil palm foliage, to collect the adults, and checking grasses, and sedge hosts to collect the nymphs. The results indicate that H. crudus is present in 163 oil palm plantations, located in 42 palm municipalities distributed in the North, Central, and Eastern oil palm zones of Colombia. We concluded that the presence of this insect is broader than what had been initially recorded. This work provides essential information to the oil palm industry since it allows to be alert about the possible spread of lethal wilt of oil palm once a diseased palm is detected in areas free of this disease.