Behavior of Orius insidiosus preying on Aphis gossypii reared on transgenic and conventional cotton varieties

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Morfologia e desenvolvimento do sistema reprodutor em três espécies de Isoptera

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Couve consorciada com sorgo e feijão-guandu na ocorrência de pulgões e insetos predadores

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Entomologia Agrícola) - FCAV

Vibração de plantas de pimenta Malagueta para produção de frutos e sementes em ambiente protegido

This study aimed to verify the effect of vibration of plants in the production of fruits and seeds and in the physiological quality of the seeds of the “Malagueta” pepper in a protected cultivated area with open and closed sides. The experiment was conducted at the Experimental Farm of the School of Agronomic Sciences of Universidade Estadual Paulista (FCA/UNESP), located in the city of São Manuel (SP). Two treatments were carried out, which consisted of plants that did and did not undergo vibration. Plants were vibrated manually by swinging the wire attached to the supporting bamboo for about 5 seconds, twice a day for 11 weeks. The design was a randomized block with six repetitions. The same experiment was conducted in two protected environments, with and without anti-aphids screens on the sides, cultivated in the same season. For the comparison of environments, a combined analysis was performed considering each environment as a separate experiment. The characteristics evaluated were: weight and number of fruits per plant; weight, diameter and length of fruit; weight and amount of seeds per fruit; and plant height. For the analysis of seed quality, the characteristics evaluated were: germination percentage; first count of germination; dry matter of seedlings; seedling emergence in substrate; and seedling emergence speed index. Regardless of the environment, vibration affects the physiological quality of seeds. The presence of pollinator insects benefited the production and quality of “Malagueta” pepper seeds and increases the fruit weight.

Influência do ambiente no desenvolvimento de colônias iniciais de formigas cortadeiras (Atta sexdens rubropilosa)

Annually, mature colonies of Atta ants produce winged males and females, where leave the colony in which they were produced to form new colonies and thus continue the species perpetuation. The foundation of Atta spp. colonies always involves high queen effort, solely responsible for growing the fungus and the care with itself and its offspring. During the foundation there is consumption of body reserves. This study investigated how the environment influences the development of newly founded colonies of leaf cutting ant, Atta sexdens rubropilosa. Therefore, it was compared field colonies collected five months after the nuptial flight and colonies maintained in the laboratory since the nuptial flight. It was analyzed the weight and size of the population (number of workers, larvae, pupae and eggs), the workers size, the volume and weight of the fungus garden and queen effort for the nest foundation (lipid content and weight of queens). In comparison to the field colonies, the laboratory colonies showed higher values in the weight and size of population, the volume and weight of the fungus garden. Measures of workers by class size did not vary between colonies from field and laboratory. The queen effort for nest foundation was higher in field colonies, which showed a lower percentage of fat and lower weight compared to laboratory colonies. These results show that the environment has a strong influence on the colonies development during the foundation, as well as on the physiological status of the queens, and therefore the survival, development and success of the colony, it is a reflection of the queen efforts and of the environment conditions.