Incidência de pragas mastigadores no feijoeiro comum (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) submetido à aplicação foliar de fertilizante à base de silício

The common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is a crop of great economic, social, and nutritional importance in Brazil; however, its productivity may be negatively affected by the incidence of insect pests, including Diabrotica speciosa (Germ.), Cerotoma arcuata (Olivier), and Lagria villosa (Fabricius). In this context, the use of silicon has emerged as a sustainable alternative within integrated pest management, with the potential to reduce reliance on chemical insecticides. The objective of this study was to evaluate the incidence of chewing insect pests in common bean subjected to foliar silicate application, applied alone and in association with conventional chemical management, using the beat cloth sampling method. The experiment was conducted in an experimental area of the IFMG – Campus Bambuí, using a randomized complete block design with four treatments and four replications. Evaluations were performed weekly from the R5 to R8 growth stages, and the number of insects per beat cloth was recorded according to the methodology recommended by Embrapa. After data analysis and application of the Scott–Knott mean comparison test, the results showed a statistically significant difference between the control treatment and other treatments, indicating a reduction in the average number of insects in the treated plots. However, no significant differences were observed among the treatments. In all evaluations, insect populations remained below the economic damage threshold, indicating low pest pressure during the experimental period. It was concluded that foliar silicate application shows potential for pest management in common bean, both when used alone and in combination with chemical control, contributing to more sustainable production systems.