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Abstract Relative gene expression analysis through RT-qPCR is an important molecular technique that helps understanding different molecular mechanisms, such as the plant defense response to insect pests. However, the use of RT-qPCR for gene expression analysis can be affected by factors that directly affect the reliability of the results. Among these factors, the appropriate choice of reference genes is crucial and can strongly impact RT-qPCR relative gene expression analyses, highlighting the importance in correctly choosing the most suitable genes for the success of the analysis. Thus, this study aimed to select and validate reference genes for relative gene expression studies through RT-qPCR in hybrids of Eucalyptus tereticornis × Eucalyptus camaldulensis (drought tolerant and susceptible to Leptocybe invasa) under conditions of inoculation by the Beauveria bassiana fungus and subsequent infestation by L. invasa. The expression level and stability of eleven candidate genes were evaluated. Stability was analyzed using the RefFinder tool, which integrates the geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and Delta-Ct algorithms. The selected reference genes were validated through the expression analysis of the transcriptional factor EcDREB2 (dehydration-responsive element-binding protein 2). For all treatments evaluated, EcPTB, EcPP2A-1, and EcEUC12 were the best reference genes. The triplets EcPTB/EcEUC12/EcUBP6, EcPP2A-1/EcEUC12/EcPTB, EcIDH/EcSAND/Ecα-TUB, EcPP2A-1/Ecα-TUB/EcPTB, and EcPP2A-1/EcUPL7/EcSAND were the best reference genes for the control plants, mother plants, plants inoculated with B. bassiana, plants infested with L. invasa, and plants inoculated with B. bassiana and subsequently infested with L. invasa, respectively. The best determined reference genes were used to normalize the RT-qPCR expression data for each experimental condition evaluated. The results emphasize the importance of this type of study to ensure the reliability of relative gene expression analyses. Furthermore, the findings of this study can be used as a basis for future research, comprising gene expression analysis of different eucalyptus metabolic pathways.

With the growing demand for sustainable and safe agricultural practices, plant compounds emerge as a solution for biological activities. Here, we evaluated the potential of using Morinda citrifolia essential oil to induce plant resistance and to control phytopathogens (Curvularia lunata) and insect pests (Daubulus maidis). We conducted a chromatographic analysis to unveil the essential oil components. We also quantified the activity levels of antioxidant enzymes and chitinase for resistance induction. The antifungal action was evaluated through disease progression and the inhibition of mycelial growth in addition to in silico studies that made it possible to predict the interaction site between the fungal protein and the compounds. We assessed the toxicity and repellent actions towards the D. maidis. Octanoic acid (58.43%) was identified as the essential oil major compound. Preventive treatment with essential oil and octanoic acid (25.0 µL mL−1) increased not only the plant defense activities (i.e., the activity of the enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase, phenol peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase, and chitinase) but also controlled Curvularia leaf spot. The stable interactions between octanoic acid and tyrosine-tRNA ligase from C. lunata suggested protein synthesis inactivation. The essential oil inhibited 51.6% of mycelial growth, and this effect was increased to 75.9% with the addition of adjuvants (i.e., angico gum). The essential oil reduced 76% of the population of D. maidis adults and repelled 50% of the number of D. maidis after 48 h under field conditions. The repellency effect in the field reduced the population of D. maidis adults, transmitters of the stunting complex, by 50%. The results highlight the potential of M. citrifolia as a resistance activator, fungicide, insecticide, and an effective biorational alternative.

Corn (Zea mays) is the most widely planted crop in the world. Dalbulus maidis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) is currently a primary corn pest. The starting point for the development of pest control decision-making systems is the determination of a conventional sampling plan. Therefore, this study aimed to determine a practical conventional sampling plan for D. maidis in corn crops. Insect density was evaluated in 28 commercial fields. Subsequently, D. maidis densities were sampled from fields ranging from 1 to 100 ha. Insect density conformed to a negative binomial distribution in 89.29% of the fields. The insect densities determined using the sampling plan had a low error rate (up to 15%). Sampling time and costs ranged from 2.06 to 39.45 min/ha and 0.09 to 1.81 USD/ha for fields of 1–100 ha, respectively. These results provide the first precise and representative conventional sampling plan for scouting D. maidis adults grown in corn fields. Therefore, the conventional sampling plan for D. maidis determined in this study is practical and can be incorporated into integrated pest management programs for corn crops owing to its representativeness, precision, speed, and low cost.

Understanding the interplay among organophosphorus flame retardants (OPFRs), microplastics, and freshwater organisms is crucial for unravelling the dynamics within freshwater environments and foreseeing the potential impacts of organic pollutants and plastic contamination. For that purpose, the present research assessed the exposure impact of 10 mg L−1 flame-retardant aluminium diethylphosphinate (ALPI), 10 μg mg−1liver microplastics polyurethane (PU), and the combination of ALPI and PU on the freshwater planarian Girardia tigrina. The exposure to both ALPI and PU revealed a sequential effect, i.e., a decrease in locomotor activity, while oxidative stress biomarkers (total glutathione, catalase, glutathione S-transferase, lipid peroxidation) and metabolic responses (cholinesterase activity, electron transport system, and lactate dehydrogenase) remained unaffected. Despite this fact, it was possible to observe that the range of physiological responses in exposed organisms varied, in particular in the cases of the electron transport system, cholinesterase activity, glutathione S-transferase, catalase, and levels of total glutathione and proteins, showing that the energetic costs for detoxification and antioxidant capacity might be causing a lesser amount of energy allocated for the planarian activity. By examining the physiological, behavioural, and ecological responses of planarians to these pollutants, insights can be gained into broader ecosystem-level effects and inform strategies for mitigating environmental risks associated with OPFRs and microplastic pollution in freshwater environments.

Neonicotinoid pesticides are one of the most commercialized groups worldwide. Their application in agriculture aims to control pests through a systemic mode of action which is not specific to target species. Our study aimed to evaluate the effects of the insecticide Actara® [active ingredient thiamethoxam (TMX)] on a non-target species, Girardia tigrina. Therefore, acute and sublethal endpoints, such as mortality, feeding activity, locomotion and behavioral biomarkers were assessed. Actara® exerted low toxicity towards the planarian Girardia tigrina, showing a 96 h LC50 value of 77.6 mg TMX·L−1 (95% C.I: 74.1–81.2 mg TMX·L−1; R2 = 0.85). At the sublethal level, Actara® exerted no effect on regeneration of photoreceptors and auricles of planarians after 24 and 48 h post-exposure (NOEC > 7.8 mg TMX·L−1). The feeding rate of planarians was significantly increased by Actara®, but only at the highest tested concentration (LOEC = 7.8 mg TMX·L−1). Planarians showed to be less sensitive to the active ingredient TMX compared to other freshwater species. This might be explained by the presence of a high proportion of sub-types of acetylcholine receptors in planarians, exhibiting low binding affinity sites for TMX, an acetylcholine partial agonist. The comparison between effects induced by Actara® with the ones caused by other formulations, in planarians, might support our understanding of how other unknown ingredients can modify the uptake, and bioavailability of such substances, as well as the detoxification capacity of planarians, all of which influences toxicity.

The citrus blackfly (CBF), Aleurocanthus woglumi Ashby, is an exotic pest native to Southeast Asia that has spread rapidly to the world’s main centers of citrus production, having been recently introduced to Brazil. In this study, a maximum entropy niche model (MaxEnt) was used to predict the potential worldwide distribution of CBF under current and future climate change scenarios for 2030 and 2050. These future scenarios came from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6), SSP1-2.6, and SSP5-8.5. The MaxEnt model predicted the potential distribution of CBF with area under receiver operator curve (AUC) values of 0.953 and 0.930 in the initial and final models, respectively. The average temperature of the coldest quarter months, precipitation of the rainiest month, isothermality, and precipitation of the driest month were the strongest predictors of CBF distribution, with contributions of 36.7%, 14.7%, 13.2%, and 10.2%, respectively. The model based on the current time conditions predicted that suitable areas for the potential occurrence of CBF, including countries such as Brazil, China, the European Union, the USA, Egypt, Turkey, and Morocco, are located in tropical and subtropical regions. Models from SSP1-2.6 (2030 and 2050) and SSP5-8.5 (2030) predicted that suitable habitats for CBF are increasing dramatically worldwide under future climate change scenarios, particularly in areas located in the southern US, southern Europe, North Africa, South China, and part of Australia. On the other hand, the SSP5-8.5 model of 2050 indicated a great retraction of the areas suitable for CBF located in the tropical region, with an emphasis on countries such as Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, and India. In general, the CMIP6 models predicted greater risks of invasion and dissemination of CBF until 2030 and 2050 in the southern regions of the USA, European Union, and China, which are some of the world’s largest orange producers. Knowledge of the current situation and future propagation paths of the pest serve as tools to improve the strategic government policies employed in CBF’s regulation, commercialization, inspection, combat, and phytosanitary management.

Decision-making systems are essential to integrated pest management (IPM) programs, particularly in the context of soybean (Glycine max), the world’s most cultivated legume. As agricultural practices change, including adopting new cultivars, planting seasons, and planting regions, the challenges in pest management, mainly caterpillars (Lepidoptera larvae), also change. To address this, this study aimed to devise an updated decision-making approach tailored to the current soybean field conditions. Over two years, caterpillar densities were evaluated in 38 commercial soybean fields. The beating tray sampling technique was superior in precision and efficiency compared to the direct counting and beating cloth techniques. This technique involved assessing 61 plants per field to determine caterpillar density. Economic thresholds were determined at 7.11 caterpillars per beating tray for vegetative stages and 3.60 for reproductive stages. The new proposed sampling system was validated and demonstrated more precise and representative caterpillar density determination than the standard beating cloth system. Both methods exhibited similar costs and execution times. Therefore, this refined decision-making system has the potential for incorporation into soybean IPM programs due to its accuracy, representativeness, feasibility, speed, and cost-effectiveness. This study underscores the viability of integrating the newly developed decision-making system to enhance soybean pest management strategies.

Thiamethoxam (TMX) is a systemic neonicotinoid that acts as a partial agonist of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). However, target species have shown resistance to formulations based on such neonicotinoids, which can also be expected for non-target insects. This research aimed to study the effects of a formulation based on TMX [Cruiser® 350 FS (CRZ)] on the life traits of Chironomus xanthus filial generation (F1) and compare it with the parental generation (P). Environmentally relevant concentrations of CRZ significantly decreased larvae growth P generation , also slowing and decreasing their emergence. Larvae of the F1 generation were less sensitive than their parents, suggesting that the progeny were able to thrive and perform basic physiological functions better than the parental generation. Our results highlight that insect resistance to neonicotinoids may be associated with the better performance of the filial generation, which is related to the change in affinities of the active ingredient for the sub-units constituting the nAChRs subtypes of F1 organisms, inherited from P organisms that were able to survive and reproduce. Moreover, further studies using biochemical and omics tools should be performed to disentangle the specific changes occurring at the nAChRs throughout insect development.

Clothianidin (CLO) is an insecticide belonging to the second-generation class of neonicotinoids. In this study, we evaluated how CLO affects the survival and the complete life cycle of the tropical insect Chironomus xanthus, a non-target species, considering the Parental (P) and Filial (F1) generations. We found a 48 h-lethal concentration (LC50) of CLO of 3.78 µg/L. The lowest observed effect concentrations (LOECs) were: i) for body growth and head capsule width in P generation = 47.3 ng/L CLO; ii) for body growth and head capsule width in F1 generation larvae = 80 and 36.4 ng/L CLO, respectively; iii) for cumulative emergence it was 80 ng/L CLO in the P generation, while there was no significant difference in the F1 generation; iv) for total developmental time for males and females = 61.53 ng/L in P generation; v) in the F1 generation, the LOEC was determined to be 36.4 ng/L for males and 80 ng/L for females; vi) The number of total hatched eggs and total hatched eggs/female had LOECs of 36.4 ng/L CLO for both generations. Our study reveals that environmentally relevant concentrations of the CLO-based insecticide are highly toxic to C. xanthus. It also shows that the F1 generation, resulting from parents exposed to CLO was not clearly resistant to the insecticide. This fact might be explained by the different effects observed for males and females of F1 generation. Understanding the sub-types of acetylcholine receptors present on target and non-target insect species and toxicological effects of neonicotinoids seems to be desirable for the insecticide industry to deal with insect pests and the environmental protection of non-target organisms.

Maize (Zea mays) is the most consumed food in the world. The leafhopper, Dalbulus maidis, (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) is one of the most important maize pests, and due to its direct and indirect damage, it can cause losses of up to 100%. Sampling plans are essential components for integrated pest management programs. The first two components to be determined in these plans are the sampling unit and the sampling technique. The sampling unit consists of determining the plant organ to be evaluated in the sampling and the techniques are the devices used to sample populations of pests in crops. Thus, the objective of this work was to select the unit and technique to be used in the sampling of D. maidis in maize crops. For this purpose, pest populations in plants at stages V4, V6, V8, and V10 were monitored in 16 commercial crops in the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado biomes over two years. The sample units studied were the leaves at different positions in the canopy of the plants. The techniques studied were direct counting, shaking the apex of the plants in a plastic tray and using a beating cloth. In the process of selecting the unit and technique to be used in sampling populations of pests in crops, adequate criteria must be used. These criteria include precision, representativeness, sampling time and that the use of these components in the sampling plans should not cause damage to the plants. The most suitable sampling unit for evaluating these pest populations was the whorl leaves and the best technique was the direct counting. Therefore, the unit and technique selected in this work can be used in sampling plans for D. maidis in maize crops.

Nano- and microplastic fragments (NMPs) exist ubiquitously in all environmental compartments. The literature-based evidence suggests that NMPs interact with other environmental contaminants in freshwater ecosystems through sorption mechanisms, thereby playing a vector role. Chemically bound NMPs can translocate throughout the environment, reaching long distances from the contaminant discharge site. In addition, they can be ab/adsorbed by freshwater organisms. Although many studies show that NMPs can increase toxicity towards freshwater biota through the carrier role, little is known regarding their potential to influence the bioaccumulation of environmental contaminants (EC) in freshwater species. This review is part II of a systematic literature review regarding the influence of NMPs on bioaccumulation. Part I deals with terrestrial organisms and part II is devoted to freshwater organisms. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA ScR) was used for the literature search and selection. Only studies that assessed the bioaccumulation of EC in the presence of NMPs and compared this with the bioaccumulation of the isolated EC were considered. Here, we discuss the outcome of 46 papers, considering NMPs that induced an increase, induced a decrease, or caused no effect on bioaccumulation. Lastly, knowledge gaps are identified, and future directives for this area of research are discussed.

The chloroplast (cp) is an essential organelle in higher plants. The genes of the plastome are well suited to infer phylogenetic relationships among taxa. In this study, we report the assembly of the cp genome of Artocarpus altilis and its phylogeny among species from Moraceae family. The cp genome of A. altilis was 160,822 base pair (bp) in length, comprising one large single-copy region of 88,692 bp, one small single-copy region of 19,290 bp, and a pair of inverted repeat regions (IRs) of 26,420 bp. A total of 113 different genes were predicted, including 79 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes, and four rRNA genes. The phylogenetic analysis of 19 species belonging to the Moraceae family confirmed the phylogenetic proximity of the genus Artocarpus and Morus and the genetic similarity of A. camansi and A. altilis.

Advanced oxidative processes (AOPs) are procedures used for the treatment of wastewater based on the generation of free radicals, such as hydroxyl (•OH) and carbonate anion (CO3•−) radicals. However, although contaminants are degraded in these processes, the by-products generated in this transformation can be a greater source of toxicity than the original compound, making ecotoxicological tests essential for monitoring the efficacy of these treatment processes. In this study, we examined the ecotoxicity of AOP by-products generated using peracetic acid (PAA) and sodium carbonate, with and without solar radiation, for the degradation of methylene blue dye, using the planarian Girardia tigrina as a test organism. Ecotoxicological tests evaluated the acute toxicity of the generated by-product in terms of lethal concentrations (LC50). Although in both assays the degradation of the dye was greater than 99%, higher toxicity was observed in the assay using PAA and carbonate in the absence of radiation. From the results obtained, we conclude that the by-product generated from the degradation of methylene blue dye by peracetic acid and sodium carbonate, with and without solar radiation, can pose risks to aquatic ecosystems if released directly into water bodies.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of oil extract of neem, Azadirachta indica, on the watermelon aphid Aphis gossypii and its natural enemy Cycloneda sanguinea. Toxicity bioassays were conducted with the commercial product DalNeem (1,475 g L-1 azadirachtin) at 0.0037 µg a.i. mL-1, 0.0074 µg a.i. mL-1 and 0.0148 µg a.i. mL-1, Malathion at 1 µg a.i. mL-1 and distilled water as a control treatment. The products were sprayed to watermelon leaf discs, and the insects were exposed to the product residues. The instantaneous population growth rate of A. gossypii and the survival of C. sanguinea larvae exposed to the different treatments were calculated. A decrease in the instantaneous population growth rate of A. gossypii with increasing concentrations of neem was observed, and the aphids did not reproduce on the leaf discs treated with malathion during the first 24 hours of exposure due to its rapid lethal effect on adult insects. The larvae of the predator C. sanguinea exposed to malathion survived only for 24 hours. The survival of the predator exposed to different concentrations of neem was also significantly reduced compared to the predators exposed only to water. However, laboratory experiments may overestimate the effect of neem on predators because the individuals cannot employ escape behavior caused by neem repellency.

O Estado do Tocantins tem-se destacado nos últimos anos como promissor em reflorestamentos com eucalyptus . Um dos problemas com grande destaque na silvicultura tocantinense é o amplo número de espécies infestantes (conhecidas comumente como rebrotas de Cerrado), resultantes de áreas recém-desmatadas. Objetivou-se com este trabalho avaliar o efeito da deriva simulada do herbicida triclopir e da mistura formulada triclopir + fluroxipir em mudas de clones de eucalipto, ambos em duas doses, correspondentes a 50 e 25% da dose de 7 L ha-1 p.c, recomendados tradicionalmente em pastagem. Foram avaliadas as variações em altura de plantas, variações de diâmetro do caule, relação altura/diâmetro, acúmulo de massa de matéria seca: de folhas, de caules, de ramos, de raízes e total. Os herbicidas afetaram negativamente o crescimento dos clones de eucalipto até os 28 dias após a aplicação. Com base nos resultados, pode-se concluir que o efeito da deriva é menor quando os herbicidas triclopir e fluroxipir + triclopir são aplicados, ambos na dose de 25%, diminuindo, assim, o risco de perdas.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar a biologia e a tabela de vida de Tetranychus bastosi em pinhão-manso (Jatropha curcas). O experimento foi realizado em ambiente controlado a 26ºC e 75% de UR, com fotófase de 12 horas. Os ovos usados nos experimentos foram oriundos de criação estoque. As avaliações foram realizadas duas vezes ao dia, para a biologia do ácaro, e uma vez, para os parâmetros reprodutivos. O ciclo médio de vida das fêmeas foi de 9,63 dias e o dos machos, de 8,94 dias. A razão sexual foi 0,65 e a longevidade média das fêmeas foi de 16 dias, com produção média de 59 ovos por fêmea. Os parâmetros de tabela de vida obtidos foram: taxa líquida de reprodução (Ro), 45,41 indivíduos; duração média das gerações (T), 12,66 dias; taxa intrínseca de crescimento (r m), 0,0538 fêmea por fêmea por dia; razão finita de aumento (λ), 1,023 fêmea por fêmea; e tempo para duplicação da população (TD), 3,15 dias. O ácaro T. bastosi desenvolve-se bem e apresenta alto potencial reprodutivo sobre folhas de pinhão-manso.

Watermelon Citrullus lunatus (Thunberg, Matsumura & Nakai) is an ecosystem having a variety of arthropods, each one playing a specific role. Although some of them are considered pest to crops, some others are responsible for soil aeration, nutrient release and predation of pest species and are, therefore, considered beneficial to crops. The intensive farming practiced for watermelon cultivation in Brazil is based on the use of tiamethoxam and deltamethrin, which may not only kill target but also nontarget organisms such as beneficial arthropods. Research data regarding the influence of insecticides on arthropods in watermelon cropping is scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the insecticides deltamethrin and thiamethoxam on soil surface and watermelon canopy arthropod community. The study was carried out in the State of Tocantins, Brazil. Although the application of thiamethoxam and deltamethrin was efficient in controlling populations of Aphis gossypii (Glover), as we expected, they negatively affected non-target arthropods such as detritivores insects in the canopy and soil surface. Ecological implications of the impact of such pesticides on beneficial arthropod species are discussed.A cultura da melancia Citrullus lunatus (Thunberg, Matsumura & Nakai) abriga uma grande diversidade de artrópodes, cada um desempenhando um papel específico. Apesar de alguns desses artrópodes serem considerados pragas, outros são responsáveis pela aeração do solo, liberação de nutrientes e predação das espécies-praga, sendo, dessa forma, considerados benéficos às culturas. A agricultura intensiva praticada no Brasil para o cultivo da melancia é baseada no uso dos inseticidas como tiamethoxam e deltametrina, que pode não só matar as pragas, mas também organismos não-alvo. Pesquisas relacionadas à influência de inseticidas sobre artrópodes benéficos na cultura da melancia são escassas. Este estudo foi realizado com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito dos inseticidas deltametrina e thiamethoxam na comunidade de artrópodes existentes na superfície do solo, bem como naqueles artropópodes que habitam o dossel das plantas na cultura da melancia. Este estudo foi realizado no Estado do Tocantins, Brasil. Embora as aplicações de thiamethoxam e deltametrina foram eficientes no controle de populações de Aphis gossypii, como era esperado, os inseticidas afetaram negativamente artrópodes não-alvo como insetos detritívoros, insetos de dossel e da superfície do solo. Implicações ecológicas do impacto dos pesticidas sobre as espécies de artrópodes benéficos são discutidos.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar ácaros na cultura de pinhão-manso e em espécies de plantas espontâneas associadas. Para isso, foram avaliadas a riqueza e a abundância de ácaros em plantas de pinhão-manso e em 14 espécies de plantas espontâneas associadas. As amostragens foram realizadas por meio de coletas mensais de folhas de plantas de pinhão-manso e de plantas espontâneas, nas entrelinhas do cultivo. Foram encontradas quatro espécies de ácaros predadores - Amblyseius tamatavensis, Paraphytoseius multidentatus, Typhlodromalus aripo e Typhlodromalus clavicus -, com potencial para uso no controle biológico de ácaros-praga na cultura do pinhão-manso, e duas importantes espécies de ácaros fitófagos - Brevipalpus phoenicis e Tarsonemus confusus - desconhecidas como praga da cultura. Entre as plantas espontâneas avaliadas, quatro espécies - Hyptis suaveolens, Peltaea riedelii, Urochloa mutica e Andropogon gayanus - abrigam grande riqueza e abundância de ácaros predadores, enquanto oito destacaram-se pela diversidade de ácaros fitófagos.

The scraping production of thirteen sugarcane genotypes was evaluated at the South of Tocantins State. The research was carried out at the Santa Tereza settlement, located at the municipality of Dueré, Tocantins State. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized blocks design with three replicates. The sugarcane genotypes evaluated were SP80-1816, SP81-3250, RB56-5230, RB92-8064, SP80-1842, SP85-3877, RB86-7515, RB83-5486, SP84-5210, IAC86-2480, SP86-155, RB85-5536 and Nativa-25. The evaluated characters were plant height, mass of industrial stalk, mass of pointers, soluble solids, yielding of sugarcane juice, scraping productivity, ration industrial stalk/ sugarcane juice, ratio of sugarcane juice/scraping, ratio of industrial stalk/ scraping and blossom percentage. According to the results obtained, the genotype Nativa-25 is not recommended to scraping production, while the genotype RB92-8064 can be recommended to scraping production and it showed the highest potential to be used as animal food.Avaliou-se o comportamento de treze genótipos de cana de açúcar quanto à produção de rapadura, na região de Dueré, sul do estado de Tocantins. A pesquisa foi conduzida no assentamento Santa Tereza, município de Dueré-TO. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o de blocos ao acaso com três repetições. Os genótipos de cana avaliados foram -1816, SP81-3250, RB56-5230, RB92-8064, SP80-1842, SP85-3877, RB86-7515, RB83-5486, SP84-5210, IAC86-2480, SP86-155, RB85-5536 E Nativa-25. As características avaliadas foram altura das plantas, massa do colmo industrial, massa dos ponteiros, sólidos solúveis, quantidade de garapa, produtividade de rapadura, relação colmo industrial/garapa, relação garapa/rapadura, relação colmo industrial/rapadura, e porcentagem de floração. O genótipo nativa-25 não é recomendado para produção de rapadura; o genótipo RB92-8064 é recomendado para produção de rapadura e apresenta potencial para ser utilizado na alimentação animal.

The intensity of rice diseases in regions with poor levels of silicates (Si) in the soil, together with high control costs, can make the cultivation of rice unfeasible. Surprisingly, there are scarce research data available regarding the influence of Si on ricediseases in tropical lowland regions. Therefore, the aim of this study is to determine the effect of three silicon sources on rice yield and disease management. Three experiments were carried out from December 2005 to April 2006 at an experimental field area located inFormoso do Araguaia, Tocantins state, Brazil. Each experiment consisted of one silicon source (powder, granular or liquid) and the treatments consisted of six Si doses. All the treatments were performed in a completely randomized block design. The data presented in this study provide evidence that Si applications in Si-deficient soils of lowland regions, depending on the application source, dose and disease intensity, can decrease the severity of brown spot and the incidence of panicle blast. Calcium silicate effectively reduced the brown spot and the panicle blast, which resulted in an increased rice yield. In contrast, Ca and Mg silicate and potassium silicate did not show an efficient control of rice diseases nor an increase in productivity.A intensidade de doenças do arroz em regiões com solos pobres em silício, aliada aos altos custos de controle, podem inviabilizar economicamente o cultivo do arroz. Por existir poucas pesquisas avaliando a influência do silício nas doenças do arroz em regiões tropicais de terras baixas, esse estudo objetivou avaliar o efeito de três fontes de silício na produção e manejo de doenças do arroz. Três experimentos foram realizados entre dezembro de 2005 e abril de 2006, em um campo experimental localizado em Formoso do Araguaia, Estado do Tocantins, Brasil. Cada experimento consistiu da avaliação de um fator (fonte de silício em pó, granular ou líquido), conduzido emdelineamento experimental de blocos inteiramente casualizados com seis níveis (doses de silício). Os resultados obtidos mostram que a aplicação de silício em solos deficientes desse elemento, em regiões de terras baixas, promove redução da severidade da mancha parda e aincidência da brusone das panículas, dependendo da fonte de silício, dose e pressão da doença. Silicato de Ca reduziu efetivamente a mancha parda e a brusone, resultando em aumento da produtividade. Entretanto, silicato de Ca e Mg e o silicato de potássio nãomostraram eficiência no controle das doenças ou aumento da produtividade.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito da teia produzida por Tetranychus evansi (Acari: Tetranychidae) na eficiência de predação por coccinelídeos Cycloneda sanguinea e Eriopis connexa e pelo crisopídeo Chrysoperla externa. A eficiência em predar as fêmeas de T. evansi na presença e na ausência de sua teia em discos de folhas de tomateiro com ácaros foi avaliada para cada instar das diferentes espécies de predadores. Foi observado efeito negativo da teia produzida por T. evansi na eficiência de predação do segundo e do terceiro instar de C. externa. Quanto à E. connexa, somente a predação pelo último instar foi influenciada negativamente pela presença da teia. A predação pelas larvas de primeiro e terceiro instar de C. sanguinea foi significativamente menor na presença da teia; no entanto, o resultado foi contrário para o quarto instar. O efeito da teia de T. evansi como mecanismo de defesa varia conforme a espécie e o estágio de desenvolvimento do predador.The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of the webbing produced by Tetranychus evansi (Acari: Tetranychidae) on the predation efficiency of Cycloneda sanguinea and Eriopis connexa coccinellids and of the Chrysoperla externa chrysopid. The predation efficiency on T. evansi females with and without webbing on tomato leaf discs was evaluated for each juvenile stage of the different predator species tested. There was a negative effect of T. evansi webbing on the predation efficiency of the second and third C. externa juvenile stages. Regarding E. connexa, only the predation by the oldest juvenile stage was negatively affected by the webbing. The predation efficiency of the first and the third juvenile stages of C. sanguinea was lower in the presence of webbing, but the opposite was observed for the fourth stage. The defensive role of T. evansi webbing varies according to the predator species and their developmental stage.

This work evaluated the functional response of adult females of Eriopis connexa to different densities of Macrosiphum euphorbiae and Tetranychus evansi. When preying upon aphids, E. connexa presented a sigmoidal functional response (Type III). This behavior, however, changed drastically to an exponential (Type II) functional response, when mites (T. evansi), rather than aphids, were offered to E. connexa. Such different patterns showed that this coccinellid needed to adopt distinct strategies according to the kind of prey available. Since predators were believed to be able to regulate prey populations only when adopting Type III functional response. E. connexa would be a good candidate for a biological control agent of M. euphorbiae, but would not suppress a growing population of T. evansi.Estudos de resposta functional fornecem informações importantes, que podem ajudar na escolha de agentes de controle biológico. Este trabalho avaliou a resposta funcional de fêmeas adultas de Eriopis connexa para diferentes densidades de Macrosiphum euphorbiae e Tetranychus evansi. Eriopis connexa apresentou uma resposta funcional sigmoidal (Tipo III) quando teve afídeos como presa. Este comportamento mudou drasticamente para uma resposta funcional exponencial (Tipo II), quando ácaros (T. evansi) foram oferecidos para E. connexa ao invés de afídeos. Essa mudança de comportemento, evidencia que esse coccinelideo precisa adotar estratégias diferentes de acordo com o tipo de presa disponível. Acreditar-se que predadores podem regular populações de presa somenete ao adotar uma resposta funcional Tipo III. Nós concluímos que E. connexa seria um bom candidato para agente de controle biológico de M. euphorbiae, mas não suprimiria uma população crescente de T. evansi.

A planta da melancia pode ser infectada por diversos patógenos que podem provocar perdas na produtividade e qualidade dos frutos. Entre estes, o fungo Ascochyta cucumis, que é o agente causal do crestamento gomoso do caule em plantas de melancia pode ser considerado um grande problema. Para estudos de laboratório e de campo é importante ter um crescimento e esporulação abundante do patógeno em estudo. No entanto, estudos sobre a esporulacao de A. cucumis em diferentes meios de cultura são escassos na literatura nacional e internacional. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar a influência de diferentes meios de cultura e do regime de luz no crescimento micelial e produção de conídios de A. cucumis. Foi utilizado o delineamento inteiramente casualizado, em esquema fatorial 7 x 3, com cinco repetições. Os meios testados foram: BDA; BDA modificado; V8 modificado; aveia; cenoura; folha de melancia e folha de melancia+CaCO3. Todos os meios foram submetidos à luz contínua, fotoperíodo 12 hr e escuro contínuo. Os meios que mais favoreceram o crescimento micelial foram folha de melancia + CaCO3, folha de melancia e BDA modificado, respectivamente, sob regime de luz contínua. Maior produção média de conídios foi obtida nos meios folha de melancia e folha de melancia+CaCO3. O meio folha de melancia+CaCO3 foi o que mais favoreceu a produção de conídios mesmo em diferentes regimes de luz.

The intensity of rice diseases in regions with poor levels of silicates (Si) in the soil, together with high control costs, can make the cultivation of rice unfeasible. Surprisingly, there are scarce research data available regarding the influence of Si on rice diseases in tropical lowland regions. Therefore, the aim of this study is to determine the effect of three silicon sources on rice yield and disease management. Three experiments were carried out from December 2005 to April 2006 at an experimental field area located in Formoso do Araguaia, Tocantins state, Brazil. Each experiment consisted of one silicon source (powder, granular or liquid) and the treatments consisted of six Si doses. All the treatments were performed in a completely randomized block design. The data presented in this study provide evidence that Si applications in Si-deficient soils of lowland regions, depending on the application source, dose and disease intensity, can decrease the severity of brown spot and the incidence of panicle blast. Calcium silicate effectively reduced the brown spot and the panicle blast, which resulted in an increased rice yield. In contrast, Ca and Mg silicate and potassium silicate did not show an efficient control of rice diseases nor an increase in productivity.