Detección de Eurhizococcus colombianus (Hemiptera: Margarodidae) en mora por espectroscopía del infrarrojo cercano

A key aspect in the study of underground pests is the selection of appropriate methods for sampling and analysis. Knowledge of the population parameters of such insects depends on the use of sensitive enough tools for its detection in a complex environment as the one of the soil and the roots.  Near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy have been suggested as a suitable, non-destructive sampling tool, which takes advantage of specific optical signatures in different groups of plants and organisms. The aim of this study was to assess the use of NIR spectroscopy in leaves and rhizosphere soil samples as an analytical technique to define the presence of the underground insect Eurhizococcus colombianus in blackberry crops, in the Eastern of Antioquia. The information obtained in seven farms distributed in five municipalities indicates that it is possible to classify plants with presence or absence of the insect through the spectral patterns of leaves and rhizosphere soil within each farm. However, it was not possible to establish a general model involving the data gathered from all farms. These results allow us to glimpse a promising non-destructive tool to understand the conditions accounting for the presence of the insect in the crop. It also would help to build management strategies of such insects based on ecological knowledge, which in turn will help farmers to make sound and timely pest control decisions.