Abstract The sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), is a major pest of sugarcane in the Caribbean, yet little is known about the genetic structure of populations in the region. In this study, the genetic diversity and phylogeographic relationships of D. saccharalis in Jamaica, a major island in the Caribbean, were evaluated based on mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences. A total of 25 haplotypes were identified among 239 individuals sampled from 25 locations across the island. Overall genetic diversity was moderate, with site-level diversity ranging from very low to high. The widespread occurrence of a single dominant haplotype, along with a star-like haplotype network and low significant population differentiation, suggested high gene flow across the island. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed that most genetic variation (94.47%) occurred within populations, with only 5.53% between populations. Neutrality tests produced significantly negative values, consistent with recent demographic expansion. Phylogenetic analysis placed the Jamaican haplotypes in a distinct Caribbean Clade closely associated with populations from Florida, indicating regional genetic structuring. These findings provide important insights into the evolutionary history of D. saccharalis and highlight the value of incorporating population genetic data into sustainable pest management strategies for the Caribbean.
Neath et al. (Sat,) studied this question.