Characterization of the arthropod attack to Phaseolus vulgaris

Abstract

The insect and other arthropod community associated to Phaseolus vulgaris L. var. aborigineus (Burkart) Baudet, a native bean from Argentina, potential source for improvement of cultivated varieties, was compared between different genetic lines. Seeds from two distant latitudes and from wild, weedy and presumptive hybrid individuals were sown in two microsites of Buenos Aires University Campus. Arthropod presence and abundance as well as the amount of damage and possible physical defenses were registered during two culture seasons. All the accessions were attacked by 15 taxa of Insecta and 5 of Arachnida, including larvae and adults. Species richness varied among culture seasons, being minor during the second one. Although the indument density was significantly different between wild specimens from different latitudes and between culture sites for plants of a same procedence, this character did not constitute a mechanic obstacle against the recorded herbivores, as the amount of damage was high and similar in both procedences and in all the entities, irrespective of culture site or season; so, neither the presumptive hybrid nor the weedy form exhibited a better performance against arthropod attack respect to the wild form.