Taxonomic studies of laelapid mites (Acari: Mesostigmata: Laelapidae) and their use in combination with entomopathogenic nematodes (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae, Heterorhabditidae) to control Frankliniella occidentalis (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Entomologia Agrícola) - FCAV

Seleção de características utilizando algoritmos evolucionistas e suas aplicações em reconhecimento de padrões

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

From cuckoos to chickens: a caught-in-the-act case of host shift in feather mites (Arachnida: Acari: Psoroptoididae)

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

Population dynamics of Aceodromus convolvuli (Acari: Mesostigmata: Blattisociidae) on spontaneous plants associated with Jatropha curcas in central Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Mites from Cerrado fragments and adjacent soybean crops: does the native vegetation help or harm the plantation?

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

Heterochromatin and molecular characterization of DsmarMITE transposable element in the beetle Dichotomius schiffleri (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

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

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of a novel sphingomyelinase D from Loxosceles gaucho venom

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Theraphosidae phylogeny: relationships of the 'Ischnocolinae' genera (Araneae, Mygalomorphae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Technical and economic evaluation of different types of control of Brevipalpus phoenicis (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) in citrus leprosies management

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of acaricide applications and pruning of symptomatic branches in citrus leprosis management in Brazil. It was conducted in an orange plantation of the 'Pera' variety, grafted onto the 'Cleopatra' tangerine, in two seasons (2006-2007 and 2007-2008). The experimental design was randomized blocks in a factorial scheme consisting of the following factors: (A) acaricide, in three levels: spirodiclofen and cyhexatin applied in rotation, lime sulphur; no acaricides; (B) pruning to remove branches that showed symptoms of leprosis, with two levels: with pruning, without pruning. We carried out periodic assessments of Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes) populations (vector of the leprosis virus), leprosis incidence and severity, fruit yield, and the economic feasibility of the applied strategies. Based on the results, we concluded that spirodiclofen and cyhexatin were more effective than lime sulphur in B. phoenicis control. Control with lime sulphur required more applications than spirodiclofen and cyhexatin in rotation, making it more expensive. Pruning of symptomatic branches used in isolation was not sufficiently effective to control leprosis and significantly increased control costs. Profits were higher when the control involved sprayings of spirodiclofen and cyhexatin in alternation, with or without pruning.

Adesão de Paracoccidioides brasiliensis e outros fungos anemófilos a teias de aranhas: implicações para a identificação de nichos microbianos no ambiente

The dimorphic pathogenic fungus, Paracoccidioides brasiliensis (Pb), is the etiological agent of paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM), the most important systemic mycosis in Latin America. While the yeast phase can be isolated from patients affected by paracoccidioidomycosis, dogs and naturally infected armadillos; several elements related to the ecology of the saprophytic phase of the pathogen, which is responsible for the production of infective propagules, are poorly understood, hampering the adoption of preventive measures. The demonstration of the high incidence of Pb infection in the 9- banded armadillo, Dasypus novemcinctus, has opened new perspectives for the identification of the pathogen’s habitat. At the opening of the armadillos’ burrows, spider webs are commonly found. The objective of this study was to evaluate the presence of Pb in spider webs samples related to the habitat of armadillos. Spider web samples were collected at Lageado Farm, Botucatu/SP and prepared for microscopic, molecular and mycological analyses. Microscopic analysis showed that different fungi were closely attached to spider web samples. Nested-PCR reaction showed positive amplification for Pb in 4 samples, with identity confirmed by amplicon sequencing. Fungal colonies also included members of Aspergillus, Blastobotrys, Penicillium, Candida, and Sporothrix genera, which are related to opportunistic disease and primary infections of great medical importance. In vitro adhesion tests of mycelia and yeast form of Pb to the spider webs were also performed, in order to analyze the possible physical attraction between fungal cells and the spider web protein network. The results showed a clear adherence of fungal particles to spider webs. In the current literature, there are no studies reporting adhesive properties of microorganisms to spider webs... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Área de vida e biologia reprodutiva da maria-da-restinga (Phylloscartes kronei) (Aves, Tyrannidae)

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

Efeito Pesticida de Ésteres de Sacarose Sobre Calacarus heveae Feres (Acari: Eriophyidae) em Dois Clones de Seringueira

Sucrose esters are biodegradable, non pollutant and safe for health; moreover, they have shown great potential in the pest control. We tested a crude mix of sucrose esters on the survivorship and oviposition of Calacarus heveae Feres (Acari: Eriophyidae) females, an important rubber tree pest mite. The females were collected from rubber leaflets of the GT 1 and RRIM 600 clones. The mites were kept on stock arenas placed in rearing chamber at 28 + 0,1°C, 80 + 10% of relative humidity and 12h of light phase about two weeks before the assays. After this period, the mites were transferred to assay arenas made with leaflets from the same clone of stock arenas. The survivorship of females sprayed with sucrose esters in the concentrations of 1, 2, 3 and 4 g/L and their oviposition effect with 0.5 and 1 g/L were analyzed. The mites sprayed with 4 g/L had about 80% of mortality, while those with 1 g/L around 60%. All mites that died in the treatments with sucrose ester became dark with wrinkled tegument and decreased their body volume, suggesting dehydration. We also observed the efficacy of 1 g/L concentration to decrease the female oviposition in about 50%, in the third day after spraying. No differences were observed in the mortality and oviposition between females kept on both clones.

Mites (Arthropoda: Acari) associated with three species of the genus Jatropha (Euphorbiaceae) in Brazil, with emphasis on Jatropha curcas L.

The physic nut (Jatropha curcas L.) (Euphorbiaceae) has emerged as a new option in cultivation aimed at biodiesel production. In order to provide information that may be useful to further develop management plans for that specific crop, samples of mites were collected from cultured and wild J. curcas plants in various regions of the country and from two other species of the same genus, Jatropha gossypiifolia L. and Jatropha mollissima (Pohl) Baill. in the northeastern region of Brazil. Altogether 31 species belonging to 10 families were recorded. The family Phytoseiidae presented the largest number of species (17). Polyphagotarsonemus latus Banks (Tarsonemidae) was the most abundant species (8,503 specimens). A dichotomous key was prepared to identify all the sampled species. At least four mite species of the samples deserve attention as showing potential for being pests in the crops of J. curcas, Brevipalpus phoenicis, Brevipalpus obovatus, Polyphagotarsonemus latus and Tetranychus bastosi, the latter two often found in great abundance.

Distribuição espacial e determinação da depreciação quantitativa e qualitativa causada por Tetranychus ogmophallos (Acari: Tetranychidae) ao amendoinzeiro

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Entomologia Agrícola) - FCAV

Distribuição espacial e temporal de Brevipalpus phoenicis (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) virulíferos e da leprose-dos-citros em pomares em controle químico

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Entomologia Agrícola) - FCAV