2025/12/06 by Dayvson Ayala Costa, Paulo Henrique Rezende, Mauricio da Silva Paulo +4 · 1 voice
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · #Cocoa and Sweet Potato Agronomy #Phytoplasmas and Hemiptera pathogens #Research on scale insects
paper · pdf · doi:10.12741/2675-9276.v6.e097
openalex created_date 2025/12/06 · openalex publication_date 2025/12/06 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/11
Horiola picta (Coquebert, 1801) (Hemiptera: Membracidae) is a secondary pest of Theobroma cacao L. (Malvaceae), a species of cocoa, in several regions of Brazil. It is found in young branches and cocoa fruits, where it lays its eggs in plant tissue, causing damage to plantations. Here, we report the first occurrence of H. picta for the state of Minas Gerais and its first record on Filicium decipiens (Wight & Arn.) Thwaites. Egg masses, nymphs, and adults of H. picta were observed from 2021 to 2024, with increasing colonization over the years. This finding highlights the potential risk of ornamental plants becoming hosts for agricultural pests.