Reduction of Pest Organisms and Improvement of the Quality and Biosecurity of Edible Fruits of Chayote (Sechium edule (Jacq.) Sw.)

Abstract

Chayote (Sechium edule (Jacq.) Sw.) (Cucurbitaceae) is a vegetable native to backyard gardens that has evolved as an export product in the last 20 years. The producing countries are Mexico, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, and recently some Mediterranean countries in Europe. Its commercial success has extended the cultivation areas, and pest organisms have been identified that attack different organs of the plant, affecting profitability, health, and safety. The lack of accurate knowledge about damage caused to the plant generates errors and costs for its control due to wrong diagnoses and the use of pesticides of toxicological groups and doses that do not effectively control the pest organism. For this reason, it is essential to have the identification of the main pest organisms that attack each organ of the chayote plant, in order to ensure timely, adequate, socially, and environmentally responsible management that allows sustaining productivity and obtaining quality fruits. This chapter graphically describes, for the first time, the main pest organisms that limit the productivity of commercial chayote.