Entomofauna involved in pollination and biocontrol of pests in cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) orchards in the Marahoué region (Bouaflé, Côte d'Ivoire)

The aim of the present study is to evaluate the association between the vegetative and reproductive structure of cashew trees and the habitat of beneficial insects, in order to improve the agronomic performance of orchards and income of cashew producers. Consequently, observations were made in three types of orchards of different ages (0-5 years, 5-10 years and over 10 years), each occupying an area of 1 hectare. For each age group and in each orchard, an arrangement of 10 consecutive cashew trees chosen at random in the direction of the north-east diagonal was set up. In all the orchards sampled, over 60.68% of the expected species diversity was observed. A total of 184 pollinating bees were collected, with the Apidae family the most diverse, and marked by high activity from Apis mellifera and Meliponula bocandei. As for ants, 124 individuals were collected, with the Formicinae family the most diversified, marked by high activity of the species Oecophylla longinoda. Foraging activity of bees and ants was significantly higher in orchards over 10 years old than in orchards 0-5 years and 5-10 years old. To maximize the productivity of all orchards, it is essential to implement compensatory actions such as the installation of beehives and the introduction of plants favored by beneficial ants. published by the Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences | JBES