Carineta fasciculata

Systematic position: Carineta fasciculata belongs to the order Hemiptera, family Cicadidae. This insect is a specialized pest primarily found in South America, where it causes significant economic damage to industrial fruit orchards, particularly in citrus-growing regions.

Host plants: The primary hosts of this species are citrus trees, including orange and mandarin groves. In cases of high population density, the pest can move to other woody and shrub species, making it a threat to various perennial crops within its geographical distribution range.

Biology and life cycle: The life cycle involves egg, nymph, and adult stages. Adults deposit eggs into the tissues of young shoots. After hatching, nymphs drop to the soil and feed on the sap of the host's root system for an extended period, which makes detecting the infestation at an early stage quite difficult.

Nature of damage: The damage is twofold: adults damage the aerial parts of the plant by sucking sap from young branches, leading to shoot dieback, while nymphs deplete the root system. This results in overall plant decline, leaf chlorosis, premature fruit drop, and a significant reduction in the market quality of the harvest.

Control measures: Managing Carineta fasciculata requires an integrated approach, which includes the following strategies:

• Monitoring adult population levels during peak emergence periods.
• Application of systemic insecticides during times of high insect activity.
• Agronomic practices focused on soil management to reduce nymph survival rates.
• Biological control using native entomophagous insects that regulate cicada populations.