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Scarabaeoidea is a diverse and widely distributed insect group; many are agricultural pests including species within the genus Phyllophaga. Species diversity studies in this taxonomic group are done mainly using morphological identification. However, despite existing taxonomic keys for adults and larvae, identification may be difficult due to their complex morphology. Molecular taxonomy can increase the value and accuracy of morphological species identification of larvae and adults. To test this, larvae collected from soil close to maize plants were identified using molecular taxonomy, and compared with adults captured using light traps. The larvae (2021) and adults (2022) were sampled on maize at the same locations in central Mexico. Molecular identification was achieved using three regions within the Cytochrome oxidase gene (cox), two in the Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1), Cytochrome b (CytB) and 28S rDNA. Cox gene information was more useful than nuclear information (28S). Combined morphological and molecular taxonomy of adults distinguished between seven Phyllophaga species. Although two closely related species, P. polyphyla and P. ravida , were distinguished using cox gene information, greater resolution was obtained using CytB. All analyses identified cryptic species within P. vetula. Species found amongst sampled adults were similar to those found amongst larvae. However, the number of species was greater in adults than in larvae at the same locations. Larval information showed Phyllophaga community structure changed over time. Our findings will contribute to a better understanding of Phyllophaga's ecology in maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficacy of entomopathogens for biological control of pests is frequently enhanced by modifying techniques applied in the field. One variation includes use of mixtures of different agents such as bacteria and viruses. In this report, mixtures of a baculovirus (PlxyNPV) and Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner, 1915, strain were tested by analyzing their joint-action effectiveness. Because four strains of B. thuringiensis previously showed important amounts of toxin against diamondback moth larvae, Plutella xylostella Linnaeus, 1758, an initial study selected the most toxic among the four strains. LC50s were compared, and strain LBIT-229 was selected (LC50 =170 ng/cm²) to be tested in mixtures with the baculovirus strain once LC50 for the virus was estimated individually (LC50 =425 ng/cm²). Bioassays with a 3:1 mixture of virus and LBIT-229, respectively, were used at laboratory conditions against P. xylostella 2nd-instar larvae. LC50 of the mixture was estimated at 508 ng/cm², which was compared with the expected (theoretical) value calculated by the Tabashnik formula. According to fiducial limits from LC50 estimated empirically, both agents had an antagonistic effect. A second joint-action test was used, based on the Tammes-Bakuniak graphical method, and found empirical LC50 in the area of antagonism, corroborating the previous result. Simultaneously, a series of experiments was done using the same mixture in a broccoli (Brassica oleracea Linneaus,1753) field, showing statistical differences among all treatments. Most diamondback moth larvae were killed when the virus was tested alone, followed by areas where the LBIT-229 strain was applied alone. Fewest larvae were killed when a mixture of both agents was tested. Antagonism between strains was clear in the laboratory and in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Two portable devices were evaluated for coffeeharvesting. The Italian-made MAIBO beater (harvest tool),used for coffee harvesting in Brazil, and the beater designedby Cenicafé (CENICAFE-I), which removes fruits by applyingpressure to the clusters that have a higher content of ripe fruits. The research was conducted in two stages. In the first, the two beaters were compared using 60 experimental units of seven trees each. The CENICAFE-I beater presented the better quality in the harvested coffee and used an equal amount of time per tree. In the second stage, the performance of the CENICAFE-I beater was compared with the traditional manual method, using an commutative experimental design with 50 plots (replicates) of 14 trees each; randomly assigning seven trees in each plot to each method. The CENICAFE-I beater, without a manual resweep, increased the operational yield by 305.7% as compared to that of the traditional manual method. With an immediate, manual resweep, the operational yields were equal for the two methods. The quality of the coffee collected with the CENICAFE-I was lower than that of manual harvesting and was not acceptable by Colombian standards. In order to reduce the cost of harvesting by 10% when using a pneumatically actuated CENICAFE-I beater, one must achieve yields greater than 40 kg h-1 or 60 kg h-1 when operating 400 or 200 h/year, respectively. / Resumen. Se evaluaron dos dispositivos portátiles en la cosecha del café. El batidor MAIBO de fabricación italiana, utilizado en Brasil en la cosecha del café y un batidor diseñado en Cenicafé (CENICAFE-I) para desprender frutos comprimiendolos glomérulos que presenten mayor concentración de frutosmaduros. La investigación se realizó en dos etapas. En laprimera, se compararon los dos batidores utilizando para cada uno 60 unidades experimentales, de siete árboles cada una. Se seleccionó al batidor CENICAFE-I por presentar mejor calidad de café recolectado e igual tiempo empleado por árbol. En la segunda etapa, se comparó el desempeño en cosecha del batidor CENICAFÉ-I con el método manual tradicional, utilizando un diseño experimental conmutativo, con 50 parcelas (repeticiones) de 14 árboles cada una, asignando aleatoriamente siete árboles a cada método en cada parcela. Con el batidor CENICAFÉ-I sin repase manual se incrementó el rendimiento operativo en un 305,7% con relación al observado con el método manual tradicional. Con repase manual inmediato los rendimientos operativos fueron iguales con ambos dispositivos. La calidad del café recolectado con el batidor CENICAFE-I fue inferior ala obtenida con la cosecha manual y no es aceptable para losestándares colombianos. Para disminuir un 10% el costo de larecolección de café, utilizando el equipo CENICAFE-I accionadoneumáticamente, se requiere alcanzar rendimientos superiores a 40 kg h-1 y 60 kg h-1, con tiempos de trabajo de 400 y 200 h/ año, respectivamente.

En CENICAFE se evaluó una alternativa para eliminar el impacto ambiental generado por los lixiviados producidos por el beneficio del café denominada BECOLSUB, la cual consistió de dos etapas: en la primera, se mezclan con la pulpa el 61.23% de los fluidos resultantes del proceso de desmucilaginado mecánico (básicamente mucilago, agua adicionada e impurezas) y en la segunda se retiran manualmente los insolubles presentes en el flujo no mezclado con la pulpa y se aumenta la concentración de sólidos, utilizando un evaporador rustico operado con energía térmica proveniente de una estufa campesina. Con el evaporador en las condiciones de trabajo de la estufa (15 h/d) se logra controlar el 100% de la contaminación generada por los lixiviados en una finca con producción anual de 240 de café pergamino se por año (cps/año) (15.000 kg de café cereza (cc)) que utilice la tecnología BECOLSUB. La eficiencia térmica del evaporados y del sistema global fueron 57.01% y 20.74% respectivamente. El fluido concentrado presento 295.000 ppm de DQO y 164254 ppm de solidos totales (ST) y 35% de grados brix.