Evidence against the exon theory of genes derived from the triose-phosphate isomerase gene.

The exon theory of genes proposes that the introns of protein-encoding nuclear genes are remnants of the DNA spacers between ancient minigenes. The discovery of an intron at a predicted position in the triose-phosphate isomerase (EC 5.3.1.1) gene of Culex mosquitoes has been hailed as an evidential pillar of the theory. We have found that that intron is also present in Aedes mosquitoes, which are closely related to Culex, but not in the phylogenetically more distant Anopheles, nor in the fly Calliphora vicina, nor in the moth Spodoptera littoralis. The presence of this intron in Culex and Aedes is parsimoniously explained as the result of an insertion in a recent common ancestor of these two species rather than as the remnant of an ancient intron. The absence of the intron in 19 species of very diverse organisms requires at least 10 independent evolutionary losses in order to be consistent with the exon theory.

Phosphate Deficiency Induces the Jasmonate Pathway and Enhances Resistance to Insect Herbivory.

During their life cycle, plants are typically confronted by simultaneous biotic and abiotic stresses. Low inorganic phosphate (Pi) is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies limiting plant growth in natural and agricultural ecosystems, while insect herbivory accounts for major losses in plant productivity and impacts ecological and evolutionary changes in plant populations. Here, we report that plants experiencing Pi deficiency induce the jasmonic acid (JA) pathway and enhance their defense against insect herbivory. Pi-deficient Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) showed enhanced synthesis of JA and the bioactive conjugate JA-isoleucine, as well as activation of the JA signaling pathway, in both shoots and roots of wild-type plants and in shoots of the Pi-deficient mutant pho1 The kinetics of the induction of the JA signaling pathway by Pi deficiency was influenced by PHOSPHATE STARVATION RESPONSE1, the main transcription factor regulating the expression of Pi starvation-induced genes. Phenotypes of the pho1 mutant typically associated with Pi deficiency, such as high shoot anthocyanin levels and poor shoot growth, were significantly attenuated by blocking the JA biosynthesis or signaling pathway. Wounded pho1 leaves hyperaccumulated JA/JA-isoleucine in comparison with the wild type. The pho1 mutant also showed an increased resistance against the generalist herbivore Spodoptera littoralis that was attenuated in JA biosynthesis and signaling mutants. Pi deficiency also triggered increased resistance to S. littoralis in wild-type Arabidopsis as well as tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and Nicotiana benthamiana, revealing that the link between Pi deficiency and enhanced herbivory resistance is conserved in a diversity of plants, including crops.

Feeding non-preference by Spodoptera frugiperda and Spodoptera eridania on tomato genotypes

Larvae of the genus Spodoptera spp. are highly polyphagous and can cause economical losses in several agricultural crops. Given their growing importance in the tomato crop, especially for industry, this work aimed to evaluate the feeding non-preference by larvae of Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith, 1797) and Spodoptera eridania (Cramer, 1782) on tomato genotypes and classify them by the levels of resistance. The commercial cultivar Santa Clara was set as the susceptible standard and line PI 134417 as the resistant standard to evaluate the lines PI 134418, PI 126931, LA 462 and LA 716. Feeding non-preference tests were performed under non-choice and free-choice conditions to evaluate the genotype attractiveness to larvae at predetermined times after their release, as well as the leaf area consumed. Overall, the genotypes LA 716 and PI 126931 were the least attractive to S. frugiperda, whereas Santa Clara was the most attractive and consumed. For S. eridania, the genotypes PI 126931, LA 462, LA 716 and PI 134418 were the least preferred for feeding, and Santa Clara and PI 134417 were the most attractive and consumed. The genotypes LA 716 and PI 126931 are moderately resistant to S. frugiperda and S. eridania; PI 134418 and LA 462 are moderately resistant to S. eridania; PI 134417 is susceptible to S. frugiperda and S. eridania; and Santa Clara is highly susceptible to both S. frugiperda and S. eridania.

Feeding non-preference by Spodoptera frugiperda and Spodoptera eridania on tomato genotypes

Lagartas do gênero Spodoptera spp. são altamente polífagas, podendo causar danos econômicos em diversas culturas agrícolas. em vista de sua emergente importância na cultura do tomate, principalmente o destinado à indústria, este trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar a não preferência, para alimentação, de lagartas de Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith, 1797) e Spodoptera eridania (Cramer, 1782) por genótipos de tomateiro, e classificá-los quanto aos graus de resistência. Como padrão susceptível, utilizou-se o cultivar comercial Santa Clara e, como resistente, a linhagem PI 134417, sendo avaliadas, ainda, as linhagens PI 134418, PI 126931, LA 462 e LA 716. Realizaram-se testes de não preferência, para alimentação, com e sem chance de escolha, avaliando-se a atratividade dos genótipos de tomateiro para as lagartas, em tempos pré-estabelecidos após sua liberação, além da massa foliar consumida. em geral, os genótipos LA 716 e PI 126931 foram os menos atrativos para a S. frugiperda, enquanto Santa Clara foi o mais atrativo e consumido. Quanto a S. eridania, os genótipos PI 126931, LA 462, LA 716 e PI 134418 foram os menos preferidos, para a alimentação, pelas lagartas, e Santa Clara e PI 134417 foram os mais atrativos e consumidos. Os genótipos LA e PI 126931 são moderadamente resistentes, do tipo não preferência para alimentação, para a S. frugiperda e S. eridania; PI 134418 e LA 462 são moderadamente resistentes a S. eridania; PI 134417 é susceptível a S. frugiperda e S. eridania; Santa Clara é altamente susceptível a S. frugiperda e S. eridania.

Feeding of Spodoptera eridania (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on soybean genotypes

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

The feeding preferences of Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. SMITH) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on cotton plant varieties

Avaliou-se atratividade e não-preferência alimentar de lagartas recém-eclodidas de Spodoptera frugiperda por partes de plantas e plantas de variedades de algodoeiro. Testes foram realizados a 27 ± 1ºC, UR de 70% ± 10% e fotofase de 14h. Folhas, brácteas, botões florais e cascas de maçãs da variedade BRS Itamarati-90 e folhas de Fibermax-966, Fibermax-977, DeltaOpal, DeltaPenta, BRS Acala-90, Coodetec-408, Coodetec-409, Coodetec-410, BRS-Cedro, BRS-Ipê, BRS-Aroeira, IPR-96, IPR-120, BRS-Araçá, IAC-24 e BRS Itamarati-90 foram utilizadas nos testes de atratividade e não-preferência para alimentação, com e sem chance de escolha. Utilizaram-se 20 lagartas de S. frugiperda por placa de Petri (sistema de arena) por teste, com 10 repetições. Contaram-se lagartas para avaliar atratividade por 60 min e não-preferência para alimentação por 24 h. Folha foi mais atrativa e preferida para alimentação por lagartas de S. frugiperda. em livre escolha, Coodetec-410 foi mais atrativa e BRS Acala-90, Fibermax-966 e DeltaPenta, as de menor atratividade à S. frugiperda; BRS-Araçá, mais preferida para alimentação e BRS-Cedro, BRS Itamarati 90, DeltaPenta, Coodetec-408 e BRS-Aroeira, menos preferidas. Considera-se 46 min., tempo mais adequado para avaliar atratividade de algodoeiro a lagartas de S. frugiperda.

Comportamento de parasitismo de Trichogramma atopovirilia Oatman & Platner e Trichogramma pretiosum Riley (Hymenoptera, Trichogrammatidae) em posturas de Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae)

The parasitism behavior of Trichogramma atopovirilia and T. pretiosum in Spodoptera frugiperda eggs was evaluated focusing on the features related to the associative learning (alpha conditioning) and recognition of the egg parasitized by the female after the first oviposition experience. Females of both species were observed to recognize the parasitized egg, which takes place after the female drills into the host egg. Following oviposition, 43.59% and 67.53 of females began to feed with an average feeding time of 73.26 ± 11.57 and 64.04 ± 7.05 seconds for T. atopovirilia and T. pretiosum, respectively. The time elapsed in each step of the parasitism behavior significantly decreased after the first oviposition experience, with a trend to stabilize after the 2nd or 3rd egg parasitized, indicating associative learning in these Trichogramma species.

Não preferência para alimentação e aspectos biológicos de Spodoptera eridania em cultivares de feijão-caupi

The aim of this paper was to evaluate the no-preference for feeding and biological aspects of Spodoptera eridania fed on cowpea cultivars BR17 Gurgueia, BRS Urubuquara, BRS Nova Era, Sempre Verde, BRS Milenio and BR3 Tracuateua. In free-choice test, leaf discs were placed in Petri dishes where one third instar larvae per cultivar was released, whereas in no-choice test one leaf disc was placed per Petri dish where one caterpillar per cultivar was released, evaluating their attractiveness after 1, 3, 5, 10, 15, 30, 60, 120, 360 and 720 minutes, as well as the leaf area consumed. Randomized blocks and complete randomized blocks design were used for free-choice and no-choice tests, respectively, with six treatments and 10 replications. The evaluation of the biological parameters of S. eridania was carried out in Petri dishes where recently hatched caterpillars were transferred in the proportion of one per dish, and the leafs of the cultivars were offered to them during the whole larval period, and we evaluated: periods and viabilities of larvae and pupae, overall viability, weight of larvae and pupae, sex ratio, longevity and overall cycle. Complete randomized design was used with six treatments and 30 replications. In no- preference for feeding free-choice test the cultivars Sempre Verde and BR17 Gurgueia were the most and the least consumed, respectively. Regarding the effects of cowpea cultivars on larval viability we can infer that BRS Urubuquara and Sempre Verde show antibiosis-type resistance to S. eridania.

Não-preferência para oviposição e alimentação de Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith, 1797) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) por cultivares de amendoim.

This study aimed to select peanut cultivars resistant to Spodoptera frugiperda, selecting non-oviposition and non-feeding preference in choice and no-choice tests. Peanut cultivars with upright growth habit (IAC 5, IAC 8112, IAC 22 and IAC Tatu ST) and runner growth habit (IAC 503, IAC 505, IAC 147, IAC 125, IAC Caiapo and IAC Runner 886) were evaluated. Tests of non-oviposition preference were conducted with newly emerged adults. Adults were fed a 10% honey solution, remaining in cages for 4 days until the start of the evaluations. The evaluations consisted of quantifying the number of eggs and egg masses, followed by calculating the number of eggs per egg mass. To perform non-feeding preference tests, leaf discs from different peanut cultivars were placed in disposable Petri dishes followed by releasing of a third-instar caterpillar for each cultivar. The attractiveness at 1, 5; 10, 15, 30, 60, 120, 360, 720 and 1,440 minutes was evaluated by counting the caterpillars that were feeding on cultivars. The leaf area consumed was evaluated at the end of the experiment for each cultivar. In the tests of non-oviposition and non-feeding preference, with choice or no-choice, none of the cultivars of the upright growth and runner growth habit influenced the oviposition or food of S. frugiperda. Thus, the peanut cultivars showed no resistance of the non-feeding and non-oviposition types.

Tipos e graus de resistência de genótipos de soja a Spodoptera eridania (Cramer, 1782) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Resistência de cultivares de amendoim de hábitos de crescimento ereto e rasteiro a Spodoptera frugiperda, em laboratório

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Avaliação da resistência de cultivares de amendoim de hábitos de crescimento ereto e rasteiro a Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Pós-graduação em Agronomia - FEIS

Resistência de cultivares de soja a Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. SMITH) (LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUIDAE

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Efeito de óleo de nim (Azadirachta indica) sobre Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith, 1797) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) e Podisus nigrispinus (Dallas, 1851) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)