**1. Introduction**

In the Andes of Peru, quinoa has mostly been cultivated as a staple crop by smallholders, with limited resources that do not allow them to use advanced agricultural technology. In this ecoregion, small-scale farming has largely been practiced, characterized by low inputs, the restricted use of machinery and rain-fed irrigation [1,2]. However, in the last years, as a consequence of the increasing demand for quinoa on the international markets and the resulting export boom and crop expansion, farmer associations have been created. In turn, this has led to improvements in crop managemen<sup>t</sup> by the incorporation of agricultural machinery and technical assistance [3]. The production of this Andean grain in the highlands is mostly organic, with a relatively low yield level that is partially compensated by the higher market price as compared with conventional quinoa [4,5].

This revalorization of quinoa motivated many farmers in the Andes to shift from staple crops (such as potato, corn and legumes) to quinoa but also gained attention of growers from regions at lower altitudes (i.e., from the "Maritime Yunga" to the coastal areas) [2,5,6]. In these newly exploited areas, small-, medium- and large-scale cultivation is practiced, characterized by the implementation of relatively advanced farming techniques including technified irrigation (especially in areas belonging to local irrigation projects such as "Majes-Siguas" and "Olmos" in the Arequipa and Lambayeque departments, respectively) and the use of machinery, pesticides, fertilizers and, in some cases, modern equipment for spraying [4,7,8]. Therefore, the production of quinoa in these areas is mainly conventional, with higher yield levels than in the highlands [1,4,5].

A relatively long list of phytophagous insects has been reported to infest quinoa in the Andean areas [7,9]. However, only the quinoa moths *Eurysacca melanocampta* (Meyrick) and *Eurysacca quinoae* Povolný (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) are considered of major importance, while other herbivorous species, including thrips and aphids, are generally considered of minor relevance [10,11]. For the non-traditional areas of quinoa production, pest communities infesting the crop also include *E. melanocampta*, as well as polyphagous insects such as the aphid *Macrosiphum euphorbiae* (Thomas) (Hemiptera: Aphididae)*,* the thrips *Frankliniella occidentalis* Pergande (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)*,* the leafminer fly *Liriomyza huidobrensis* (Blanchard) (Diptera: Agromyzidae) and the hemipteran pests *Nysius simulans* Stål (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae) and *Liorhyssus hyalinus* (Fabricius) (Hemiptera: Rhopalidae) [9]. Knowledge about the economic impact of the latter pests on quinoa production in the newly exploited areas is, however, still scarce.

In this context, the present study aimed to explore the seasonal occurrence of the relevant insect pests on quinoa in two new production zones as compared to a traditional production area, by analysing their incidence in the crop, as a function of the presence of their natural enemies, environmental factors and the farming practices specific to each region. The findings of this study should be of interest for local quinoa growers for improving their pest managemen<sup>t</sup> practices and also for other farmers who intend to explore new areas for quinoa production in Peru and other countries that share similar pest complexes.

#### **2. Materials and Methods**
