Incidence of arthropods and phytotechnical characteristics of lisianthus under different greenhouse conditions

Abstract

The use of color shading meshes is presented as a new technological approach to manage flowers and ornamental plants. Eustoma grandiflorum (Raf.) Shinners is a flower that excites interest of producers and consumers. However, there is little technical and scientific information on its production and management. We evaluated the incidence of arthropods and phytotechnical characteristics in two cultivars of cut lisianthus, under the influence of different color shading meshes in commercial greenhouse. The experiments were conducted in the company Floricultura Florist, Dois Irmãos-RS, Brazil. The experiment took place from August to December 2012 and tested the influence of shading meshes with different colors (gray, red, black, and blue) on two varieties of cut lisianthus (Mariage and Bolero White). In each treatment, the phytotechnical characteristics of the plants assessed and arthropod samples were collected. Red mesh produced the best results, and blue, the worst. Nine orders of arthropods from 24 families with different habits were observed. Diptera was the most abundant. The shading screens did not influence the number of arthropods in plants.