de Oliveira, C.M., Fialho, J.F., & Fontes, J.R.A. 2005 Bioecologia, disseminção e danos de Cochonilha-das-raizes da Mandioca Protortonia navesi Fonseca (Hemiptera: Margarodidae. [Bioecology, dissemination and damages of the cassava roots mealybug Protortonia navesi Fonseca (Hemiptera: Margarodidae)].. Embrapa Cerrados, Brasil Ministerio da Agricultura, Pecuaria e Abastecimento, Planaltina 142: 11-23

Notes: The cassava Manihot esculenta is an important source of energy, it has rusticity and high yield potential, and is the base food for more than 700 million people in the world. It is considered one of the most tolerant growing crop to insect damage; however, it is a host plant of approximately 200 species of arthropods in the American continent. In Brazil, the most hazardous pests are present in the aerial part of the plant causing damage in the leaves, stems and branches, sprout destruction, defoliation, yield losses and in some cases plant death. Recently, the presence of mealybugs in the cassava roots and also in the leaves has been detected in Goias, Minas Gerais, Bahia and Distrito Federal, Brazil. The continuous presence of these insects cause quantitative and qualitative damages. Specimens of mealybugs collected in the high infestation fields were identified as Protortonia navesi. It is an autochthonous species described in the end of 1970 located in plants collected in Distrito Federal. Regarding the damage potential of this new pest represents for the cassava crop, principally in the Brazilian Cerrado where its presence was already verified, it is recommended to add these insect to the Integrated Pest Management Programs. The objective of this publication is to support basic information about the bioecology, dissemination and damages of the cassava roots mealybug, P. navesi.