Natural parasitism by Trichogramma spp. in agroecosystems of the Mid-­North, Brazil.

The micro-­hymenopterans of genus Trichogramma are eggs parasitoids used in the biological control of lepidopteran pests. The objectives of this study was to record the interaction of species of Trichogramma and their hosts on crops in the Mid-­North, in the states of Maranhão and Piauí, Brazil.

Amblyseius largoensis in controlling red palm mite under semi-field conditions.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the efficiency of two Amblyseius largoensis (Acari:Phytoseiidae) populations in controlling Raoiella indica (Acari: Tenuipalpidae). The treatments were: release of A. largoensis from the island of La Réunion; release of A. largoensis from the state of Roraima, Brazil; and a control, without predator release. Initially, 20 predators were released per plant; three other releases were done at a rate of ten adults per plant, at 46, 135, and 156 days after the first release. The population densities were estimated every 20 days, during six months. Both A. largoensis populations evaluated are not sufficiently efficient to control the R. indica population.

Species from the Heliothinae complex (Lepidoptera: noctuidae) in Tucuman, Argentina, an update of geographical distribution of Helicoverpa armigera.

The Heliothinae complex in Argentina encompasses Helicoverpa gelotopoeon (Dyar), Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), Helicoverpa armigera (Hu ̈ bner), and Chloridea virescens (Fabricius). In Tucum an, the native species H. gelotopoeon is one of the most voracious soybean pests and also affects cotton and chickpea, even more in soybean-chickpea succession cropping systems. Differentiation of the Heliothinae complex in the egg, larva, and pupa stages is difficult. Therefore, the observation of the adult wing pattern design and male genitalia is useful to differentiate species. The objective of this study was to identify the species of the Heliothinae complex, determine population fluctuations of the Heliothinae complex in soybean and chickpea crops using male moths collected in pheromone traps in Tucuman province, and update the geographical distribution of H. armigera in Argentina. The species found were H. gelotopoeon, H. armigera, H. zea , and C. virescens. Regardless of province, county, crop, and year, the predominant species was H. gelotopoeon . Considering the population dynamics of H. gelotopoeon and H. armigera in chickpea and soybean crops, H. gelotopoeon was the most abundant species in both crops, in all years sampled, and the differences registered were significant. On the other hand, according to the Sistema Nacional Argentino de Vigilancia y Monitoreo de Plagas (SINAVIMO) database and our collections, H. armigera was recorded in eight provinces and 20 counties of Argentina, and its larvae were found on soybean, chickpea, sunflower crops and spiny plumeless thistle (Carduus acanthoides). This is the first report of H. armigera in sunflower and spiny plumeless thistle in Argentina.

First report of Raoiella indica (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) in southeastern Brazil.

2016

Abacaxi.

2016

Feijão.

2016

Mandioca.

2016

Fluctuation and vertical distribution of a population of brown root stink bug Scaptocoris castanea (Hemiptera: Cydnidae) in the soil profile in Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil.

2016

Manejo da falsa medideira: palmo a palmo.

2015

Flutuação populacional de machos adultos de Helicoverpa spp. (Lepidoptera; noctuidae) em Mato Grosso do Sul.

2015

Daily foraging activity of Acromyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) leaf-cutting ants.

Leaf-cutting ants are well-known insects due to their remarkable activity as herbivores and the considerable economic damage they cause to many crops. The identification of season and time of day when leaf-cutting ants are most active is an important tool, not just to understand the foraging ecology of these ants, but also to optimize their control in plantation areas where they are pests. Thus, the aims of this study are to evaluate the daily foraging activity of leafcutting ant species of the genus Acromyrmex, which occur in forest plantations in Southern Brazil. Foraging activity of Acromyrmex crassispinus (Forel) and Acromyrmex subterraneus subterraneus (Forel) were correlated with weather conditions, and it was more intense during spring and summer. Workers that forage at night are significantly heavier than workers that forage during the day. This study showed that A. crassispinus and A. subterraneus subterraneus did not forage at temperatures below 10-11°C. Then, the use of granulated baits to control these leaf-cutting ants species where they are pests should be done just under favorable conditions of temperature for Acromyrmex foraging activity (over 12°C), to ensure maximum collection of baits by ants and the least left-over baits.

New host records for Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) in the state of Pará, Brazil.

Registra-se pela primeira vez a infestação natural de frutos de Garcinia acuminata Planch. & Triana e de Garcinia brasiliensis C. Martius (Malpighiales: Clusiaceae) por Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae) no estado do Pará, Brasil. Garcinia acuminata é registrado como hospedeiro de moscas-das-frutas pela primeira vez no Brasil.

Effect of silicon application to Eucalyptus camaldulensis on the population of Glycaspis brimblecombei (Hemiptera: Aphalaridae).

O uso do silício na área florestal tem aumentado recentemente, pois o elemento está relacionado a uma melhoria na resistência a insetos pragas. O psilídeo de concha, Glycaspis brimblecombei é encontrado em todas as regiões produtoras de eucalipto no Brasil. O efeito do silício aplicado em Eucalyptus camaldulensis, na população do psilídeo, foi estudado em dois ensaios. No primeiro experimento, as aplicações foram via solo (silicato de cálcio) e foliar (silicato de potássio) em uma plantação de nove meses. No segundo experimento, este mineral foi aplicado em mudas de eucalipto, no substrato ou sobre as folhas. Mensalmente, durante 24 meses, ovos e imaturos de G. brimblecombei foram amostrados nas folhas. A altura das plantas foi medida com 9, 12, 16 e 24 meses (experimento 1) e, aos 4, 8, 12 e 24 meses (experimento 2) após a aplicação dos tratamentos. O número de ovos e de imaturos foram menores nos períodos de maior precipitação, indicando menos ataque dos psilídeos durante a estação chuvosa. A população psilídeo foi menor nos tratamentos com aplicação de silício tanto foliar como via solo. Nenhuma diferença significativa foi encontrada na altura de plantas de E. camaldulensis.

Ocorrência de moscas-das-frutas e parasitoides em Spondias mombin L. em três municípios do estado do Amapá, Brasil.

Este trabalho teve o objetivo de registrar a ocorrência de espécies de Anastrepha e parasitoides associados a frutos de Spondias mombin em três municípios do estado do Amapá, Brasil. Foram realizadas coletas de frutos de S. mombin nos municípios de Oiapoque, Porto Grande e Mazagão (10 amostras por município, cada uma composta por aproximadamente 1 kg de frutos), em fevereiro e março de 2014. Foram obtidos 2.715 pupários, dos quais emergiram 891 espécimes de Anastrepha e 261 de himenópteros. Os índices de infestação foram variáveis, sendo o maior valor médio registrado em Porto Grande (99,8 pupários/kg de fruto). Quatro espécies do gênero Anastrepha foram obtidas: Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart), Anastrepha antunesi Lima, Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann) e Anastrepha striata Schiner. A espécie mais abundante nos três municípios foi A. obliqua. Das 29 amostras infestadas por moscas-das-frutas, apenas sete (24,1%) não apresentaram parasitismo. O maior percentual médio de parasitismo foi registrado em Mazagão (18,9%). Foram obtidos exemplares de cinco espécies de parasitoides: Opius bellus Gahan (50,6% do total), Doryctobracon areolatus (Szépligeti) (26,8%), Asobara anastrephae (Muesebeck) (16,5%), Utetes anastrephae (Viereck) (5,7%) e Aganaspis pelleranoi (Brèthes) (0,4%).

Estimated crop loss due to coconut mite and financial analysis of controlling the pest using the acaricide abamectin.

Reducing the losses caused by Aceria guerreronis Keifer has been an arduous task for farmers. However, there are no detailed studies on losses that simultaneously analyse correlated parameters, and very few studies that address the economic viability of chemical control, the main strategy for managing this pest. In this study the objectives were (1) to estimate the crop loss due to coconut mite and (2) to perform a financial analysis of acaricide application to control the pest. For this, the following parameters were evaluated: number and weight of fruits, liquid albumen volume, and market destination of plants with and without monthly abamectin spraying (three harvests). The costs involved in the chemical control of A. guerreronis were also quantified. Higher A. guerreronis incidence on plants resulted in a 60 % decrease in the mean number of fruits harvested per bunch and a 28 % decrease in liquid albumen volume. Mean fruit weight remained unaffected. The market destination of the harvested fruit was also affected by higher A. guerreronis incidence. Untreated plants, with higher A. guerreronis infestation intensity, produced a lower proportion of fruit intended for fresh market and higher proportions of non-marketable fruit and fruit intended for industrial processing. Despite the costs involved in controlling A. guerreronis, the difference between the profit from the treated site and the untreated site was 18,123.50 Brazilian Real; this value represents 69.1 % higher profit at the treated site. Keywords