CTNI insect collection of AGROSAVIA socializes the progress in recognizing agrobiodiversity during the 50th Congress of the Colombian Society of Entomology

Mosquera, Cundinamarca. August 4, 2023. During the 50^th Congress of the Colombian Society of Entomology held in the city of Medellín from July 26 to 28, 2023, the 'Luis Maria Murillo' National Taxonomic Collection of Insects (CTNI) housed by AGROSAVIA, stood out when presenting two highly relevant presentations.

Under the headings -Curatorship and Systematization of Orthopteroid Insects of the CTNI- and -Curatorship and Systematization of the Collection of Immature Forms of the CTNI- the authors Luisa María Montenegro Silva, Yuly Paola Sandoval Cáceres, and Erika Valentina Vergara Navarro, from the Tibaitatá Research Center, presented the progress made in curating and rescuing information on this important collection of insects, with an emphasis on agriculture.

The participation of the CTNI in the congress reaffirms its increasingly prominent position in the academic-scientific field by disseminating the information contained in its specimens and showing the high level of curatorship that characterizes them. This progress is the result of the project to strengthen the CTNI Collection, which has been financed sustainably by AGROSAVIA year after year.

Both presentations represent an essential milestone for recognizing beneficial and harmful insect species in agriculture and directly benefitting the peasant community. The first conference addressed the rescue of information from orthopteroid insects, including crickets, while the second focused on the phase of immature states of various insects, i.e., the most active state in which they can become harmful to crops.

Thanks to this meticulous work, the researchers were able to identify the specimens at the species or genus level, allowing the establishment of their geographic distribution and feeding behavior. This information is crucial to understanding which crops can be affected by these species and which integrated pest management strategies are most effective in controlling their populations.

For the productive sector, this detailed and precise knowledge is priceless, as it allows them to make informed decisions on how to manage pests more efficiently and sustainably. Knowing the identity and distribution of harmful species for crops is essential to implement adequate control measures, reduce agricultural losses and improve productivity.

The National Taxonomic Collection of Insects 'Luis Maria Murillo' (CTNI) and its work in the study and preservation of insect specimens have become, thus, a strategic ally for sustainable agriculture and the well-being of agricultural communities in Colombia. With each advance and every paper presented, the collection's commitment to protecting the country's biological heritage and promoting more environmentally friendly agricultural practices is strengthened.

Click here to visit the National Taxonomic Collection of Insects 'Luis Maria Murillo' (CTNI) housed by AGROSAVIA.