The pineapple mealybug Dysmicoccus brevipes (Cockerell) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) is the main pest on pineapple crops and biological studies of this insect are necessary on different cultivars. The objective of this work was to evaluate the development time of this mealybug on the pineapple cultivars Pérola and Cayenne. The experiment was performed in climated chambers at 25 ± 1ºC, 70 ± 10% RH and 12 h photophase. Pinneapple plants were reproduced in vitro, transplanted to pots (250 mL) and kept in greenhouse. One-day-old nymphs were kept inside a clipcage (1 cm diameter) fixed on the plants. No differences in development of D. brevipes among the cultivars were found. Development times of females and males, respectively, were 39.9 and 32 days on cv. Pérola and 38.5 and 32.4 days on cv. Cayenne. Nymphs survivals were 32.3 and 40.5%, sexual rates were 0.39 and 0.33, and females longevities were 20.3 and 26.1 days on cv. Pérola and Cayenne, respectively.
Insect; pineapple mealybug; Ananas comosus (L.) Merril; biology
