Parasitóides (Hym., Eulophidae) de bicho-mineiro Leucoptera coffeella (Guérin-Mèneville) (Lep., Lyonetiidae)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Qualidade da pulverização em volume reduzido para o controle do bicho-mineiro Leucoptera coffeella (Guérin-Mèneville & Perrottet, 1842) (Lepidoptera: Lyonetiidae)

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Entomologia Agrícola) - FCAV

Risk analysis of climate change on coffee nematodes and leaf miner in Brazil

The objective of this work was to assess the potential impact of climate change on the spatial distribution of coffee nematodes (races of Meloidogyne incognita) and leaf miner (Leucoptera coffeella), using a Geographic Information System. Assessment of the impacts of climate change on pest infestations and disease epidemics in crops is needed as a basis for revising management practices to minimize crop losses as climatic conditions shift. Future scenarios focused on the decades of the 2020's, 2050's, and 2080's (scenarios A2 and B2) were obtained from five General Circulation Models available on Data Distribution Centre from Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Geographic distribution maps were prepared using models to predict the number of generations of the nematodes and leaf miner. Maps obtained in scenario A2 allowed prediction of an increased infestation of the nematode and of the pest, due to greater number of generations per month, than occurred under the climatological normal from 1961-1990. The number of generations also increased in the B2 scenario, but was lower than in the A2 scenario for both organisms.

Microsatellite markers in analysis of resistance to coffee leaf miner in Arabica coffee

The objective of this work was to analyze coffee (Coffea arabica) genotypes resistant to the coffee leaf miner (Leucoptera coffeella) using microsatellite markers. Sixty-six loci were evaluated, of which 63 were obtained from the Brazilian Coffee Expressed Sequence Tag (EST) database. These loci were amplified in bulks of individuals from F5 progenies of 'Siriema' (C. arabica x C. racemosa) resistant and susceptible to the insect, in eight samples of C. racemosa, and in a F6 population of 'Siriema' with 91 individuals segregating for resistance to the leaf miner. Polymorphisms were verified for two simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci in bulks of the susceptible progenies. The two polymorphic alleles were present in around 70% of the susceptible genotypes in F5 and in approximately 90% of the susceptible individuals in F6. However, the polymorphic EST-SSR markers among populations contrasting for resistance to leaf miner were not correlated to the evaluated characteristics. SSR markers show inter- and intraspecific polymorphism in C. arabica and C. racemosa.

Leaf miner incidence in coffee plants under different drip irrigation regimes and planting densities

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of different drip irrigation regimes and planting densities on the incidence of the leaf miner, Leucoptera coffeella, in arabica coffee plants for one year. The experiment was carried out in 2008, in a complete randomized block design, in a split-plot in time arrangement, with four replicates. The treatments consisted of four drip irrigation regimes - soil water balance, irrigations at 20 and 60 kPa soil tensions, and a nonirrigated treatment -, which were distributed at three plant densities: 2, 500, 5, 000, and 10, 000 plants per hectare. The evaluations were made on a monthly basis between January and December 2008. The highest pest occurrence period was from August to November, a season with low-air relative humidity preceded by a drought period. Irrigated coffee plants showed an incidence of intact mines 2.2 times lower than that of nonirrigated plants. Irrigation and increasing of plant density contribute to the reduction of coffee leaf miner occurrence.

Toxicity of organic farming‑compatible products to the coffee leaf miner

The objective of this work was to evaluate the toxicity of organic farming‑compatible products to the coffee leaf miner Leucoptera coffeella. Lime sulphur, enriched Bordeaux mixture (Viça Café Plus), and the "supermagro" biofertilizer were first tested in laboratory. The most promising product was tested afterwards under field conditions. In laboratory, different concentrations of each product were applied on L. coffeella eggs and on infested coffee‑mined leaves. Only lime sulphur had ovicidal effects at an acceptable concentration (1.6%) for field applications, but no significant effect on larvae mortality was found. Enriched Bordeaux mixture and the "supermagro" biofertilizer had no effect on L. coffeella eggs and larvae. In the field trial, biweekly or monthly sprayings of lime sulphur at different concentrations caused population decrease after 30 days; however, this effect was not significant after 60 or 90 days.

Avaliação de um pulverizador de volume ultra baixo na cultura do café para o controle de Leucoptera coffeella (Lepidoptera: Lyonetiidae)

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Produção Vegetal) - FCAV

Influence of caffeine on the survival of leaf-cutting ants Atta sexdens rubropilosa and in vitro growth of their mutualistic fungus

BACKGROUND: Leaf-cutting ants collect plant fresh material for the cultivation of their mutualistic fungus. Atta sexdens rubropilosa Forel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) cause great economic losses through their foraging activity, mainly in agriculture. The main control method is the application of granulated toxic baits incorporated with an active ingredient (AI). The present goal is to evaluate the effect of caffeine on in vitro growth of the mutualistic fungus and on the survival of the leaf-cutting ants, aiming to verify the potential toxicity of this secondary metabolite over these organisms. RESULTS: Three distinct patterns of fungal growth correlated with caffeine concentration were observed: (1) no effect (0.01% caffeine); (2) intermediate growth reduction (0.05% caffeine); (3) drastic growth reduction (0.10 and 0.50% caffeine). The highest caffeine concentration causes fungus death in the first week. As for insect survival, caffeine does not seem to exert any effect. The treatments with diet containing caffeine showed similar values of M50, irrespective of caffeine concentration. CONCLUSION: As caffeine was shown to reduce growth of the mutualistic fungus of Atta sexdens rubropilosa, but with no conclusive effect on insect survival, a hypothetical explanation for the selection of different Coffea species by this leaf-cutting ant species might be associated with caffeine toxicity to the fungus. Copyright (C) 2011 Society of Chemical Industry

Molecular characterization of a miraculin-like gene differentially expressed during coffee development and coffee leaf miner infestation

The characterization of a coffee gene encoding a protein similar to miraculin-like proteins, which are members of the plant Kunitz serine trypsin inhibitor (STI) family of proteinase inhibitors (PIs), is described. PIs are important proteins in plant defence against insects and in the regulation of proteolysis during plant development. This gene has high identity with the Richadella dulcifica taste-modifying protein miraculin and with the tomato protein LeMir; and was named as CoMir (Coffea miraculin). Structural protein modelling indicated that CoMir had structural similarities with the Kunitz STI proteins, but suggested specific folding structures. CoMir was up-regulated after coffee leaf miner (Leucoptera coffella) oviposition in resistant plants of a progeny derived from crosses between C. racemosa (resistant) and C. arabica (susceptible). Interestingly, this gene was down-regulated during coffee leaf miner herbivory in susceptible plants. CoMir expression was up-regulated after abscisic acid application and wounding stress and was prominent during the early stages of flower and fruit development. In situ hybridization revealed that CoMir transcripts accumulated in the anther tissues that display programmed cell death (tapetum, endothecium and stomium) and in the metaxylem vessels of the petals, stigma and leaves. In addition, the recombinant protein CoMir shows inhibitory activity against trypsin. According to the present results CoMir may act in proteolytic regulation during coffee development and in the defence against L. coffeella. The similarity of CoMir with other Kunitz STI proteins and the role of CoMir in plant development and plant stress are discussed.

Study of simple sequence repeat markers from coffee expressed sequences associated to leaf miner resistance

The objective of this work was to identify expressed simple sequence repeats (SSR) markers associated to leaf miner resistance in coffee progenies. Identification of SSR markers was accomplished by directed searches on the Brazilian Coffee Expressed Sequence Tags (EST) database. Sequence analysis of 32 selected SSR loci showed that 65% repeats are of tetra-, 21% of tri- and 14% of dinucleotides. Also, expressed SSR are localized frequently in the 5'-UTR of gene transcript. Moreover, most of the genes containing SSR are associated with defense mechanisms. Polymorphisms were analyzed in progenies segregating for resistance to the leaf miner and corresponding to advanced generations of a Coffea arabica x Coffea racemosa hybrid. Frequency of SSR alleles was 2.1 per locus. However, no polymorphism associated with leaf miner resistance was identified. These results suggest that marker-assisted selection in coffee breeding should be performed on the initial cross, in which genetic variability is still significant.

Coffee growth, pest and yield responses to free-air CO2 enrichment

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Diversidade de hemerobiídeos (Neuroptera) e suas associações com presas em cafeeiros

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a diversidade de Hemerobiidae (Neuroptera) em cafeeiros, e suas relações com Leucoptera coffeella, Coccus sp., Planococcus sp., Oligonychus ilicis, Brevipalpus phoenicis, Aphis spiraecola e Toxoptera aurantii. As amostragens foram realizadas em Cravinhos, SP, entre maio de 2005 e abril de 2007. Os hemerobiídeos foram coletados com rede de varredura, armadilha de Möricke e armadilhas luminosas e, para a amostragem das presas, foram coletadas folhas de cafeeiro. Foram obtidos 882 exemplares de hemerobiídeos: Nusalala tessellata (467 espécimes, 52,9% do total coletado), Hemerobius bolivari (153, 17,3%), Megalomus impudicus (114, 12,9%), Sympherobius miranda (109, 12,4%), Megalomus rafaeli (30, 3,4%), Sympherobius ariasi (6, 0,7%) e Nomerobius psychodoides (3, 0,3%). A ocorrência de Nusalala tessellata e M. impudicus foi correlacionada positivamente à de Coccus sp.; o mesmo fato ocorreu para M. rafaeli com lagartas de L. coffeella e A. spiraecola e para H. bolivari com O. ilicis. As correlações foram negativas e significativas entre as ocorrências de S. miranda e O. ilicis e entre as de N. tessellata e L. coffeella e O. ilicis. As correlações mostraram que os Hemerobiidae, predadores generalistas, foram favorecidos pelo constante suprimento de presas que ocorreram na cultura do café, no período estudado.

Diversidade de hemerobiídeos (Neuroptera) e suas associações com presas em cafeeiros

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a diversidade de Hemerobiidae (Neuroptera) em cafeeiros, e suas relações com Leucoptera coffeella, Coccus sp., Planococcus sp., Oligonychus ilicis, Brevipalpus phoenicis, Aphis spiraecola e Toxoptera aurantii. As amostragens foram realizadas em Cravinhos, SP, entre maio de 2005 e abril de 2007. Os hemerobiídeos foram coletados com rede de varredura, armadilha de Möricke e armadilhas luminosas e, para a amostragem das presas, foram coletadas folhas de cafeeiro. Foram obtidos 882 exemplares de hemerobiídeos: Nusalala tessellata (467 espécimes, 52,9% do total coletado), Hemerobius bolivari (153, 17,3%), Megalomus impudicus (114, 12,9%), Sympherobius miranda (109, 12,4%), Megalomus rafaeli (30, 3,4%), Sympherobius ariasi (6, 0,7%) e Nomerobius psychodoides (3, 0,3%). A ocorrência de Nusalala tessellata e M. impudicus foi correlacionada positivamente à de Coccus sp.; o mesmo fato ocorreu para M. rafaeli com lagartas de L. coffeella e A. spiraecola e para H. bolivari com O. ilicis. As correlações foram negativas e significativas entre as ocorrências de S. miranda e O. ilicis e entre as de N. tessellata e L. coffeella e O. ilicis. As correlações mostraram que os Hemerobiidae, predadores generalistas, foram favorecidos pelo constante suprimento de presas que ocorreram na cultura do café, no período estudado.

Rogadinae e Orgilinae (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) em cultura de café em Cravinhos, SP, Brasil

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Entomologia Agrícola) - FCAV

Hemerobiidae (Neuroptera) em Coffea arabica L. (Rubiaceae): diversidade, sazonalidade e associação com presas

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)