Integrated multi-trophic culture of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and Amazon river prawn (Macrobrachium amazonicum) in brackish water

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Analysis of effectiveness of three forest interventionist techniques and proposal of a new and integrated model of forest restoration

We assessed the efficacy of three different forest intervention techniques, in terms of phytosociological and edaphic responses, that were implemented in 2007. In a farm where trees are planted and managed for cellulose production as well as set aside for environmental conservation, four stands were analysed: three of them were considered degraded and were managed using different intervention techniques (transposition, perch, and abandonment), and a fourth stand comprising pristine vegetation was considered a control (reference). Floristic and phytosociology data were collected in three 10 × 10 m plots established in each stand. Also, a total of 48 soil samples were collected to analyse physical and chemical attributes of the topsoil for the different stands. In terms of biodiversity, all the treatments showed significantly lower values when compared to the reference area. However, the soils in all the treatment and reference stands are similar in terms of physical and chemical attributes. Taking into account the specificities of each restoration technique, we verified that the integrated use of a set of management practices, constituted by the (1) abandonment of the area and (2) following a selective killing of the eucalyptus, is the most suitable and promising model to provide fast and effective restoration in terms of environmental indicators.

Gibberellic acid, ozone and 1-methylcyclopropene on the gray mold control in avant garde rose

Gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea is considered the major disease of greenhouse grown flowers. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of gibberellic acid (GA3), ozone, and 1-MCP, applied on postharvest, on the gray mold control in 'Avant Garde' rose. Rose flowers were artificially inoculated with B. cinerea (104 conidia ml-1) and non-inoculated. After treatments, roses were stored under room conditions (20±2°C/80±5% RH) and checked for gray mold incidence and severity. Spraying of GA3 at 25, 50, and 75 mg L-1 on non-inoculated roses reduced the area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) of gray mold incidence in 41, 40 and 54%, respectively. Continuous application of ozone at 2.7 ppm reduced 14-folds B. cinerea sporulation. On the other hand, 1-MCP did not control gray mould in rose. These results showed that GA3 sprays and ozone contribute to postharvest control of gray mold in cut rose and can be utilized on integrated disease management.

Does diatomaceous earth control leaf-cutter ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Eucalyptus plantations?

Genus Atta includes some of the most important Formicidae leaf cutter ants which cause extensive damage to the eucalyptus plantations. Atta sexdens rubropilosa Forel, one of the chief pests in Brazilian reforestation, can restrict and reduce forest productivity by its intense and constant leaf-cutting activities on plants at all stages. Therefore, the demand for new products to control A. sexdens rubropilosa indicates the study of the utilization of the dry powder formulation of diatomaceous earth (DE) against this pest in the eucalyptus cultivars. The study was conducted using 120 colonies of A. sexdens rubropilosa in Eucalyptus grandis Hill ex. Maiden x Eucalyptus urophylla Blake (Myrtaceae) (urograndis) stand. The randomized block experimental design was used with six treatments (1, 10, 25, and 50 g/m2 of DE, 6.0 g/m2 sulfluramid bait per square meter of loose soil, and the control) with five replications, each with four colonies of this ant. Diatomaceous earth was applied to the active A. sexdens rubropilosa ant holes, and the sulfluramid bait was applied in bulk in a localized manner. The control efficacy of A. sexdens rubropilosa with DE was low, showing values similar to that of the control, and, for this reason, it cannot be used to control this ant. The bait with sulfluramid showed higher efficacy than those of the other treatments.

Biological control of the bronze bug, Thaumastocoris peregrinus, in eucalyptus plantations in Brazil

The bronze bug Thaumastocoris peregrinus (Hemiptera: Thaumastocoridae) was detected in Brazil in 2008 and infested >180 000 ha of eucalyptus plantations in 2011. The bronze bug can cause a reduction of 10–15% in wood productivity after 2 years of heavy infestation. Although there is not an effective control method known, biological control is the main control strategy studied. An exotic egg parasitoid, Cleruchoides noackae (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae), was imported from Australia in 2012, reared in a laboratory and released in three Brazilian regions. Parasitoids were recovered at release points after 20–30 d. In 2013, preliminary evaluations demonstrated parasitoid establishment in these areas, and the parasitoid was recovered in adjacent areas after 1 year of release. Bioassays confi rmed egg parasitism of 15–20% by C. noackae. Other native natural enemies were studied. We found green lacewing Chrysoperla externa and predatory bugs Supputius cincticeps and Atopozelus opsimus preying on nymphs and/or adults of T. peregrinus. Another promising possibility is entomopathogenic fungi. Commercial formulations of Beauveria bassiana were tested with success in lab and fi eld conditions. Fusarium proliferatum and Paecilomyces cateniannulatus caused mortality of T. peregrinus in natural epizooties. After 5 years of research, it is possible to develop an integrated pest management system (IPM) for eucalyptus plantations based on biocontrol strategy for bronze bug.