Eficiência do Sumok® no controle do bicho-mineiro do cafeeiro (Leucoptera coffeella)

Abstract

The coffee leaf miner (Leucoptera coffeella) is a major pest affecting coffee crops, as its larvae develop inside the leaves, creating mines and reducing the plants' leaf area. Given the need to evaluate management alternatives, this study aimed to assess the efficacy of the product SumoK® in controlling the coffee leaf miner, applied either alone or in combination with commercial insecticides. The experiment was conducted in a commercial *Mundo Novo* cultivar coffee plantation at Fazenda Aba Larga, in the municipality of Candeias, Minas Gerais, between August 27 and September 12, 2025. Four treatments were evaluated: SumoK® alone, fenpropathrin- and pyriproxyfen-based insecticides, SumoK® combined with the insecticides, and an untreated control. Evaluations were performed on the day the experiment was set up and 17 days after application, counting leaves with lesions and live larvae inside the mines. Data were subjected to analysis of variance and the Scott-Knott means test at a 5% significance level. The control group showed an increase in the active pest population, whereas the applied treatments reduced the percentage of live larvae and the average number of live mines per plant. The lowest average number of live mines was observed with the combination of SumoK® and the insecticides, which also showed a 93% reduction compared to the start of the experiment. Under the conditions evaluated, SumoK® was associated with a reduction in the presence of live coffee leaf miners, especially when used with the tested insecticides. However, the experimental design does not allow for a conclusion regarding synergism; further trials are needed to confirm the consistency and duration of this response.