DESCRIPCIÓN DEL PATRÓN ESPACIAL DE Thrips palmi Karny EN EL CULTIVO DE PAPA MEDIANTE LA DISTRIBUCIÓN BINOMIAL NEGATIVA

Abstract

Populations of Thrips palmi Karny (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) were sampled in potato fields under production conditions during three years (1998-2000) in order to describe the spatial pattern within the plant. Since the lack of differences between a and b coefficients of Taylor’s Power Law, data of three years were combined. The negative binomial distribution fitted the frequencies of adult and larvae populations with k 0.1516 and 0.2550 respectively. In both cases, results indicate an aggregated pattern showing a higher intensity in larvae. These are frequently located in the plant middle stratum, while adults are located in the higher stratum. These results are very important information for developing pest-sampling plans under the conditions studied in Cuba