Evidence for coabundance of leafminer flies and whiteflies in melon crops

Interspecific competitions are important mechanisms in structuring ecological communities, including agroecosystems, which different species may share the same food resource. In melons, two major pests coexist time and space, Liriomyza sativae Blanchard (Diptera: Agromyzidae) Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae). The former feeds on leaf mesophyll, while latter phloem sap. Therefore, niche exploitation can trigger interactive processes between both populations. present research aimed to determine if there positive or negative interactions whiteflies leafminers under field conditions. experiment was conducted four commercial melon fields northeast Brazil planting seasons. Thirty random plants were weekly selected for detection of whitefly nymphs leafminer larvae throughout entire crop cycle. data organized analyzed considering abundance L. (larvae) B. (nymphs adults) plant. Thus, coabundance investigated by using regressions with Poisson errors. results suggest fractions negative, neutral (not significant relationships) species. Among 34 interactions, 56% suggesting that more than half due interspecific competition coabundance.