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Objective: To define the potentiality of two phytophagous insects to become pests of Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit during its reproductive phenophase, in Cuba. Materials and Methods: Two productive systems with Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit cv. Peru and Megathyrsus maximus (Jacq.) B.K. Simon & S.W.L. Jacobs cv. Likoni were evaluated. The characterization of the lesions produced by the insect on the inflorescences was carried out during one year. Meanwhile, the characterization of the insect lesions on the pods and seeds, and that of the associated bacterial symptoms, took place during three years. The link between insect and symptoms in those organs was determined with a regression analysis through the program SPSS®. The relation between number of insects and pods and seeds infected by the bacterium per season was conducted for two years, and it was tested by a proportion comparison test. To evaluate the proportion between the quantity of insects and infested organs, a regression was made; while the estimation of the losses caused by both insects was through rule of three. Results: The micromoth found on the inflorescences was Ithome lassula, which affected more during the dry season. The organisms found in the pods and seeds were the insect Loxa viridis, and the bacterium Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. odoriferum, which had a close relation with the reproductive phenophase of L. leucocephala. These organisms also have higher presence in the dry season. Conclusions: Associated to the reproductive organs of L. leucocephala, the micromoth I. lassula, due to its direct affectation on the inflorescence, and the pentatomid L. viridis on the pods and seeds, were detected with potentiality to become pests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

El artículo discurre sobre la población de insectos que afectan a Leucaena leucocephala, un tipo de árbol. El autor comenta sobre las investigaciones relacionadas a este tema, las cuales determinaron la presencia de 148 especies de insectos asociados a la leucaena. También se consideran las características de esta diversidad en cuanto a la estructura y funcionamiento de la comunidad insectil.

Objective: To characterize the productive system of a peasant farm to establish the strategy that propitiates its productive improvement, sustainability and agroecological transition. Materials and Methods: To characterize the entity of 40 ha of land in usufruct a structured survey, elaborated by the Local Agricultural Innovation, Program, was used. The information was also complemented with the Farm Plan methodology. The management of the productive system, main agroecological practices used, limitations and potentialities of the farm, were evaluated, as well as the transformations the farmer intends to make, the desired situation and agrobiodiversity. Results: The productions of the farm were 9 926 kg of milk year-1 and 8 740 kg of meat year-1. Two hundred forty-four plants of fruit trees, from 22 species, were found. The farm had varied productions, although it shows deficiencies that limit its development: pastures of low quality and availability, insufficient preserved feedstuffs, scarce utilization of organic fertilizers, deficient practices for pest management and little integration of animal husbandry and agricultural activities. Nevertheless, a strategy was elaborated for its agroecological transition. Conclusions: The farm shows deficiencies in the agricultural and animal husbandry area that limit its development. The inclusion of diverse crops, of better nutritional quality and higher availability, as well as the utilization of good conservationist and sustainable practices, will allow the transformation of the food basis and improvement of the productive system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To characterize the biodiversity and determine its degree of complexity, as basis for pest agroecological management in a farmer entity. Materials and Methods: In the studied farm, belonging to the Colón municipality, Matanzas province, biodiversity was quantified during one year. Margalef and Shannon (H') indexes were applied and the methodology proposed by Vázquez and Matienzo (2010) was used to determine the degree of complexity of biodiversity in the farm, which considers five components: noxious, functional, functional introduced, auxiliary and productive. Results: A richness of species grouped in 25 families was obtained, which stood out for their use as fruit, timber, forage and feed. In addition, the scarce number of biopesticide plants, of living barriers and fences, as well as the little complexity of functional and functional introduced biodiversity, was observed, which contributes to the incidence and inadequate agroecological management of pests in the productive system. Finally, the unit was qualified as moderately complex (31 %). Conclusions: Biodiversity was represented mainly by species from the families Poaceae and Fabaceae, followed by Anacardiaceae, Boraginaceae and Rutaceae. The farm was classified as moderately complex. The most determinant biodiversity components of that performance were the functional, functional introduced and noxious ones, which had negative repercussions on pest management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]