Chrysodeixis chalcites, a pest of banana crops on the Canary Islands: Incidence, economic losses and current control measures

Chrysodeixis chalcites is an emergent pest in bananas (Musa acuminata Colla) grown on the Canary Islands. Feeding damage to leaves and fruit and the control measures targeted at this pest were evaluated over a two-year period (2013–2014). The prevalence of infestations (42–100%) on the islands was similar during the two years of the study. Mean foliar damage (1.5–7.3% depending on island) and fruit damage (1.0–5.7%) detected in field surveys varied significantly across islands, plantation aspect (north- or south-facing) and season. Fruit damage was not correlated with foliar damage (P > 0.05). The weight of C. chalcites damaged bananas varied significantly (0.2–4.2% of harvested fruit) across islands, particularly in the spring. Overall, 3155 tonnes of bananas/yr are likely discarded due to C. chalcites damage, representing 1.5% of annual production or 2.68 million €/yr. The most frequently used pesticide was indoxacarb, usually applied on three occasions per crop cycle, for which the cost of control measures would average 240 €/ha per crop cycle. The direct damage that C. chalcites causes to banana fruit results in significant economic losses in addition to the direct costs of pesticide based control measures. Effective and sustainable control strategies are required against this pest.