Resistência de genótipos de soja a Dichelops melacanthus (Dallas)(HEMIPTERA: PENTATOMIDAE)

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Proteção de Plantas) - FCA

Dinâmica populacional, distribuição espacial e plano de amostragem sequencial de Euschistus heros (Fabricius, 1794) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) em cultivares de soja

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Caracterização filogenética de percevejos terrestres das famílias Coreidae e Pentatomidae (Heteroptera: Pentatomomorpha) por meio de marcadores moleculares

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Egg parasitism of Piezodorus guildinii and Nezara viridula (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in soybean, alfalfa and red clover

Piezodorus guildinii Westwood and Nezara viridula (L.) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) are important soybean pests. P. guildinii causes more injury and is less susceptible to insecticides compared to N. viridula. N. viridula egg parasitoids are well studied; however, little is known about parasitoids of P. guildinii. Alfalfa, soybean and red clover were sampled during several seasons to characterize the abundance of both stink bugs, to determine their egg parasitoids, and to estimate parasitoids impact. In the field, Telenomus podisi (Ashmead),Trissolcus urichi (Crawford) and Trissolcus basalis (Wollaston) (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) emerged from P. guildinii, while only T. basalis (Wollaston) (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) emerged from N. viridula. The proportions of parasitized eggs (i. e., the parasitoid impact) and egg masses, as well as the number of parasitized eggs/total number of eggs of the parasitized egg masses, were similar for alfalfa and soybean. Parasitism was not observed in red pclover. Parasitoid impact was lower during the dry growing seasons. Although P. guildinii field parasitism by T. urichi was less significant, laboratory experiments from the bibliography indicate that this wasp species performs well on this host. Trissolcus urichi would be an important biological control agent against P. guildinii, principally when the stink bug is more abundant.

Dinâmica de interações tróficas de Euschistus heros (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) com Telenomus podisi e Trissolcus basalis (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae)

Dentre os insetos que causam prejuízo a produção de soja, os percevejos fitófagos destacam-se como o principal grupo de pragas, sendo Euschistus heros (Fabricius, 1798), atualmente, a principal espécie de praga da cultura, que está distribuída em todas as regiões brasileiras de cultivo da leguminosa. Para o controle das populações destes insetos, o método mais utilizado é o controle químico. No entanto, as exigências tem sido crescentes no que diz respeito à redução do uso de agroquímicos. Dentre as alternativas, o uso dos parasitoides de ovos Telenomus podisi Ashmead, 1881 e Trissolcus basalis Wollaston, 1858 emerge com bom potencial para programas de controle biológico. O uso desses agentes de controle deve ser baseado em estudos que assegurem a eficiência dos insetos no manejo da população da praga. O presente estudo combina experimentação laboratorial e de campo com modelagem matemática para investigar o potencial dos parasitoides como controladores do percevejo da soja. Foram realizados estudos relacionados aos parâmetros biológicos e potenciais reprodutivos de T. podisi e T. basalis através de tabelas de vida de fertilidade. Foram determinadas as exigências térmicas de ambos os parasitoides de ovos e observou-se o efeito da idade dos ovos de E. heros no parasitismo por T. podisi e T. basalis. Foi também avaliada a interação entre as duas espécies de parasitóides e determinado o número ideal de cada espécie de parasitoide a ser liberado de acordo com a densidade de ovos do hospedeiro. Finalmente um modelo matemático foi proposto visando simular interações e liberações em parasitoides, para o controle de E. heros. Com a combinação entre os experimentos e a implementação de metodologia analítica através de modelagem ecológica espera-se incrementar estratégias de controle da praga, para fundamentar a recomendação do uso do parasitoide mais eficiente para controlar E. heros, ou mesmo a melhor forma de combinar o o uso das espécies de inimigos naturais.

Compuestos cuticulares de Euschisthus heros (F.) (Heteroptera: pentatomidae) y su papel en las etapas inciales de la infección por hongos entomopatógenos.

2015

First cases of exclusive paternal care in stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)

We describe paternal care in two pentatomid bugs, Lopadusa (Lopadusa) augur Stål, 1860 and Edessa nigropunctata Berg, 1884. Field and laboratory observations showed that males remain with their eggs and early hatched nymphs, while females abandon the eggs after oviposition. Guarding males defensive behaviors towards their clutches were similar to those described for guarding females of pentatomids. Since there is no detailed information on the internal phylogeny of Pentatomidae, it is not possible to make a robust inference on whether paternal care in L. augur and E. nigropunctata has arisen independently or not. If the latter, the two new cases of paternal care we describe here represent the fifth event of independent evolution of this rare behavioral trait in Heteroptera.

Role of entomopathogenic fungi in the control of Tetranychus evansi and Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae), pests of horticultural crops

The spider mites Tetranychus urticae Koch and Tetranychus evansi Baker and Pritchard are important pests of horticultural crops. They are infected by entomopathogenic fungi naturally or experimentally. Fungal pathogens known to cause high infection in spider mite populations belong to the order Entomophthorales and include Neozygites spp. Studies are being carried out to develop some of these fungi as mycoacaricides, as standalone control measures in an inundative strategy to replace the synthetic acaricides currently in use or as a component of integrated mite management. Although emphasis has been put on inundative releases, entomopathogenic fungi can also be used in classical, conservation and augmentative biological control. Permanent establishment of an exotic agent in a new area of introduction may be possible in the case of spider mites. Conservation biological control can be achieved by identifying strategies to promote any natural enemies already present within crop ecosystems, based on a thorough understanding of their biology, ecology and behaviour. Further research should focus on development of efficient mass production systems, formulation, and delivery systems of fungal pathogens.

Asian elephants as agricultural pests: Economics of control and compensation in Sri Lanka

Despite growing attention to crop and property damage caused by the Asian elephant, uncertainty exists about the magnitude of this problem. This article explores the nature and, Magnitude of this problem in Sri Lanka. An economic analysis of individual farmers'. decisions to control elephants is provided. Government policies to assist farmers in coping with the elephant pest problem are assessed. Appropriate compensation schemes for farmers are seen as potentially more effective for conserving elephants in Sri Lanka than legal prohibitions on the killing of elephants. The issues raised here have wider relevance than merely to Sri Lanka or Asian elephants.

Augmentation of the assassin bug Pristhesancus plagipennis (Walker) (Hemiptera : Reduviidae) as a biological control agent for Helicoverpa spp. in cotton

Third-instar nymphs of the Australian assassin bug, Pristhesancus plagipennis (Walker), were released into cotton plots at two release densities and two crop growth stages to test their biological control potential. Release rates of 2 and 5 nymphs per metre row resulted in field populations of 0.51 and 1.38 nymphs per metre row, respectively, indicating that over 70% of nymphs died or emigrated within two weeks of release. Effective release rates of 1.38 nymphs per metre row reduced the number of Helicoverpa spp. larvae in the plots for a 7-week period. Crop yields were significantly greater in the plots to which P. plagipennis nymphs were released, with the effective release rate of 1.38 nymphs per metre row providing equivalent yields as insecticide treated plots. The data suggest that P. plagipennis has the capacity to reduce Helicoverpa spp. larvae densities in cotton crops when augmented through inundative release.

Factors affecting the establishment and dispersal of nymphs of Pristhesancus plagipennis Walker (Hemiptera : Reduviidae) when released onto soybean, cotton and sunflower crops

A problem with augmenting predatory bugs through mass release is the logistical difficulty of delivering nymphs onto the foliage of field crops. In this paper we examine postrelease establishment and dispersal of the nymphs of the predatory bug Pristhesancus plagipennis on soybean, cotton and sunflower in an effort to devise an appropriate strategy for field release. The effects of predator stadia and release rates on field establishment and within-crop-canopy dispersal after hand release were recorded in soybean, cotton and sunflower. Field establishment improved with the release of more-developed nymphs, with third instars providing the most appropriate compromise between field hardiness and rearing cost. Increased nymphal density at the point of release had little effect on nymphal dispersal throughout the crop canopy. The patterns of nymphal dispersal observed on the three crops suggest that crop-canopy architecture may have an effect on the ability of nymphs to spread out postrelease, as nymphs dispersed poorly in cotton and sunflower compared to soybean. To overcome poor dispersal of nymphs after release, a mechanical release method, where nymphs were mixed with vermiculite and delivered onto a target crop through a spinning disk fertiliser spreader, was tested, and provided similar nymph establishment rates and dispersal patterns as releasing nymphs individually by hand. The implications of nymph dispersal and field hardiness in regard to inundative field release techniques are discussed.

Indirect effect of neem oil on Podisus nigrispinus (Hemiptera, Pentatomidae): biology and predatory capacity

This study evaluated the effects on the development and predatory capacity of Podisus nigrispinus fed on Spodoptera frugiperda that have ingested different concentrations of neem oil. The predatory capacity of Podisus nigrispinus was assessed, separating nymphs (fourth instar) and adults (males and females). The treatments consisted of S. frugiperda larvae reared in neem oil aqueous solutions (0.077, 0.359 and 0.599%), deltamethrin EC 25 (0.100%) and control arranged in a completely randomized design, with ten replicates. Insects were offered three larval densities (one, three and six), in the third or fourth instars. The predated larvae were examined at 24 and 48 hours after the beginning of the experiment. Biological parameters of Podisus nigrispinus were evaluated in groups of ten second-instar nymphs transferred to pots, in five replicates. Insects were offered 2-6 third and/or fourth-instar larvae reared in the same neem oil concentrations in a completely randomized design. The following parameters were evaluated: duration of each nymph stage (days), nymph mortality (%), weight of fifth-instar nymphs (mg), sex ratio, weight of males and females (mg) and longevity of unfed adults (days). The predatory capacity of nymphs and adults of Podisus nigrispinus was influenced by the neem oil at the concentrations of 0.359% and 0.599% in the highest density. The concentration of 0.359% lengthened the nymphal stage and the concentration of 0.599% reduced the weight of males.