Antonio Souza do Nascimento

Parasitóides de moscas-das-frutas (Diptera: Tephritidae) associados a fruteiras tropicais

Foram encontradas especies de himenopteros parasitando larvas de moscas-das-frutas no municipio de Conceicao do Almeida, no Reconcavo Baiano, nas seguintes proporcoes: o Eucoilidae Aganaspis pelleranoi (Brethes) (12,2%), os braconideos Doryctobracon areolatus (Szepligeti) (81,4%), Utetes (Bracanastrepha) anastrephae (Viereck) (0,7%) e Opius spp. (0,7%) alem da especie introduzida Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead) (5,0%). Foram feitas amostragens de setembro de 1995 a setembro de 1996, em frutos de goiaba (Psidium guajava L.), pitanga (Eugenia uniflora L.), carambola (Averrhoa carambola L.) e manga (Mangifera indica L.), caidos sob a copa das arvores. As pupas viaveis obtidas apresentaram parasitismo final de 7,4%, 43,9%, 10,2% e 19,0%, respectivamente. O parasitoide D. areolatus esteve presente em maior quantidade em todas as especies de frutos, exceto em goiaba. D. longicaudata tambem foi detectado em todos os frutos coletados. Pitanga foi a fruteira de onde emergiu maior numero de parasitoides (1.512 em 4.239 frutos coletados). A. pelleranoi foi o parasitoide predominante em goiaba.

Mass-rearing of Mediterranean fruit fly using low-cost yeast products produced in Brazil

Ceratitis capitata is one of the most important pests of fruits for exportation, and Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) has been the most efficient and environmental friendly technique used to control fruit fly populations around the world. A key goal in achieving a successful SIT program is a mass rearing system producing high quality insects at low cost. Providing adults with an artificial diet containing hydrolysed protein has been the major obstacle for bio-production facilities in Brazil, because it is expensive and has to be imported. Two other commercial products, autolysed yeast (AY) and yeast extract (YE), of domestic origin and low cost, were tested as substitutes of the imported hydrolyzed protein. To compare their efficiency we observed the female fecundity, adult survival and egg viability of flies raised on diets containing one of each of the different protein products. Flies reared on the domestic yeast products had equivalent or superior performance to the flies reared on imported protein. Both AY and YE can be a possible substitute for imported hydrolyzed protein for C. capitata mass-rearing, as they are cheaper and are readily available in the national market.

Index of infestation and diversity of fruit-flies in exotic hosts native to the fruitculture area in Anagé, Bahia, Brazil.

INDEX OF INFESTATION AND DIVERSITY OF FRUIT-FLIES IN EXOTIC HOSTS NATIVE TO THE FRUITCULTURE AREA IN ANAGE, BAHIA, BRAZIL Fruit-flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) are the main hindrance for mango exportation in the fruitculture areas of the Southwestern Region of Bahia. The purpose of the present work was to study the indexes of infestation and diversity of fruit-flies in the fruitculture area of Anage, BA, in order to obtain subsidies to the integrated management of these pests in mango, in this region. Studies were carried out in 2004 and 2005 in the municipalities of Anage, Belo Campo and Caraibas, BA. Fruit sampling from 21 native and exotic vegetable species, were analyzed for identification of species of associated fly species. Infestation indexes in fruit weight (kg) and number of puparia were estimated. The obtained results demonstrated that the highest infestation indexes, in puparia/fruit kg, occurred in Spanish prune (Spondias purpurea L.) with 61,3, jua (Ziziphus joazeiro L.) 38,3 and umbu (Spondias tuberosa L.) , 33,1, which were considered primary hosts of the Anastrepha fraterculus and A. obliqua. On the other hand, infestation, in puparia/kg of sampled fruit, occurred in Spanish prune, 0,9 puparia/kg; umbu, with 0,7 and cajarana (Spondias sp.) with 0,2. Based on larval monitoring and under the conditions of the fruiticulture area in Anage, the occurrence of the following species have been recorded Anastrepha fraterculus, A. obliqua, A. dissimilis, A. amita, A. distincta, A. sororcula, A. zenildae and Ceratitis capitata has been recorded. For the first time, the following bitrophic associations: jua with A. fraterculus , A. obliqua , A. dissimilis and A. distincta; and umbu with A. amita and A. sororcula.

Survey of sharpshooters (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) associated with Xylella fastidiosa transmission in citrus groves of the North Coast of Bahia State

The causal agent of citrus variegated clorosis, Xylella fastidiosa, is transmitted by leafhoppers of the subfamily Cicadellinae, whose species vary regionally. The goal of this study was to identify potential vectors of this pathogen in citrus groves of Bahia North Coast, Brazil. The survey was done from March/2002 to February/2003 in three seven- to nine-year-old sweet orange (Citrus sinensis, Pêra variety) groves located in Rio Real, BA. Fifteen yellow sticky cards (8.5x11.5 cm) were installed 40 m apart in each grove, hanged at 1.5 m high on the upper north side of citrus canopies, and replaced fortnightly. A sweep net was periodically used to sample leafhoppers on herbaceous weeds inside the groves, by selecting five points at random and performing 30 sweeps in each point. A total of 1,360 specimens of 49 Auchenorrhyncha species were collected in this study, mostly in the family Cicadellidae (90.2%). The subfamily Cicadellinae, which includes the sharpshooter vectors of X. fastidiosa, showed the largest number of species (14) and specimens (84.8%). Acrogonia flagellata Young, A. citrina Marucci & Cavichioli, Homalodisca spottii Takiya, Cavichioli & McKamey and an unidentified Cicadellini (species 1) were the dominant species trapped on citrus canopies, while Hortensia similis (Walker) and Erythrogonia dubia (Medler) were dominant in the weedy vegetation. Among the Cicadellinae species already known as vectors of X. fastidiosa in citrus, only A. citrina, Bucephalogonia xanthophis (Berg) e Ferrariana trivittata (Signoret) were found. The two latter species were accidentally trapped by sweep net in the weedy vegetation.

Longevity and fecundity of four species of Anastrepha (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Studies on fruit fly longevity and fertility are important to understand their demographic aspects and to orient implantation of integrated management strategies. This study investigated the longevity of adult Anastrepha species A. fraterculus (Wiedemann), A. sororcula (Zucchi), A. zenildae (Zucchi) and A. obliqua (Macquart). The reproductive pattern was also assessed throughout the life of the species A. sororcula and A. obliqua and fertility at eighteen days of life of the four species. A. zenildae longevity was similar to A. sororcula, longer than A. fraterculus and followed by A. obliqua. No statistical difference between the sexes was observed, except for A. obliqua. The decrease in survival occurred fastest in A. obliqua followed by A. fraterculus and A. sororcula, which was similar to A. zenildae. The highest mean of eggs at 18 days of life was for A. obliqua, followed by A. fraterculus, A. zenildae and A. sororcula. The reproductive pattern over the lifespan differed among the species assessed. A. obliqua presented a longer reproductive period, with more than one oviposition peak and greater daily and total egg production. The differences observed in the survival patterns and egg production and oviposition in the Anastrepha species reflect strategies that may be associated with environmental stability and/or differential response capacity to unstable environments. Thus the existence of similar survival strategies can be suggested between A. obliqua and A. fraterculus and between A. sororcula and A. zenildae.

Beauveria bassiana Strains for Biological Control of Cosmopolites sordidus (Germ.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in Plantain

The objective of this study was to select strains of Beauveria bassiana for controlling Cosmopolites sordidus (Germ.) in plantain farms (cv. Terra) of the “Recôncavo” and southern regions in the state of Bahia, Brazil. The virulence of 32 B. bassiana isolates against C. sordidus was determined under laboratory conditions. Three isolates (CNPMF 407, CNPMF 218, and CNPMF 416) were selected for evaluation under field conditions in plantations located in the counties of Mutuípe and Wenceslau Guimarães. Population of C. sordidus was estimated every 15 days by using pseudostem traps. The efficiency of the three strains of B. bassiana was compared to chemical control (carbofuran, 4g/trap) and absence of control. Carbofuran caused around 90% of adult mortality after 12 months, with a reduction in the population of C. sordidus since the first evaluation. A low number of trapped insects was observed in the fungus-treated plots, suggesting the efficiency of the isolates in controlling the C. sordidus population. The strain CNPMF 218 was the most efficient in controlling C. sordidus adults in both locations, causing around 20% mortality, leading to 40% population size reduction after 12 months.

Distribuição espacial da meleira do mamoeiro em zonas de trópico úmido e trópico semi-árido

Papaya Sticky Disease (PSD) is caused by a whitefly-borne virus and is one of the most important problems of the papaya (Carica papaya) industry in Brazil, causing yield losses of up to 100%. In order to better understand its epidemiology and generate data for studies on influence of cultural practices and bioecological features on disease dynamics, 15 papaya orchards were evaluated in Eunapolis, Bahia (Rain Forest Region) and Petrolina, Pernambuco (Semi Arid Tropics) between January 2000 and March 2001. The areas were mapped taking into consideration the row or column position of each plant and its disease status. A given plant was considered diseased when its fruits showed latex exudation, fluid latex and latex spots. The maps were analised by ordinary runs, dispersion index, Taylor law fitting and isopath areas. Results showed greater aggregation within rows than across rows which can be the consequence of a vector limited movement, with a trend to colonizing nearest plants; The dispersion index indicated a medium to strong aggregation within sub areas and this result was confirmed by Taylor law fitting. In most of the areas, higher disease incidence was detected at orchard edges. This may indicate that vector migration can assume important role in PSD virus dissemination. In some cases it was possible to detect the presence of isolated foci inside orchards, an indication of vector colony formation and plant to plant transmission from secondary inoculum. Significant differences were not observed between rain forest and semi-arid regions.

New protein sources in adults diet for mass-rearing of Anastrepha fraterculus (Diptera:Tephritidae)

The aim of this study was to find alternatives to reduce the cost of mass production of the South American fruit fly (A. fraterculus) by looking for locally available products as protein source in the diet of adults to replace the imported product without changing the quality parameters. Two yeast from a Brazilian company were evaluated. The quality parameters showed that the imported hydrolyzed yeast used in the adult diet could be perfectly replaced by the local products tested, with a reduction of over 80% of the cost of the diet. The quality of the produced insects remained the same and there were improvements in some quality parameters such as the volume of eggs produced, number of adults flying and longevity under the stress.

Associação de moscas-das-frutas (Diptera: Tephritidae) com a "meleira do mamoeiro" (Carica papaya L.)

Since 1988, the medfly Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) was described infesting papaya (Carica papaya) cv. Sunrise Solo in North of the State of Espirito Santo, Brazil. Two experiments were carried out to determine the infestation of C. capitata and Anastrepha obliqua (Macq.) in papaya fruit, healthy and infected by sticky disease. In the 1st experiment (forced infestation), no infestation of C. capitata in the healthy fruits was observed, and 60.6 pupae/fruit were obtained in the infected fruit. For A. obliqua, the infestation index was 10.3 and 72.4 pupae/fruit for healthy and infected fruit respectively. In the 2nd experiment (inoculated eggs), the infestation index for C. capitata was 4.0 and 6.3 pupae/fruit and for A. obliqua 10.1 and 10.4 pupae/fruit, for healthy and infected fruit respectively. The high suscetibility of green fruit of papaya infected by sticky disease for C. capitata and A. obliqua was discussed

Dados biológicos de Anastrepha obliqua Macquart (Diptera: Tephritidae) em manga

The biology of Anastrepha obliqua Macquart in mango Mangifera indica cv. Carlota, was investigated in the laboratory. Data showed that females layed, in average, 137 eggs. Maximum oviposition period lasted from 15-25 days. The average incubation period ranged from 54-72 h. Males and females had an average longevity of 100 and 105 days, respectively.