Dionei Schmidt Muraro

Insecticidal potential of Bacillus thuringiensis for the biological control of neotropical brown stink bug

Euschistus heros (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) is considered a major insect pest in soybean production in Brazil. The indiscriminate application of pesticides to fields leads to reduction in biodiversity, selection of resistant populations, emergence of new pest outbreaks, and damage to non‐target organisms. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effects of exposure to Cry proteins present in new isolates of Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner, commercial formulations, and Bt soybean on E. heros development. The feeding preference of E. heros for Bt‐ vs. non‐Bt soybean was also evaluated. All treatments caused significant mortality to E. heros except the Bt soybean. Tests with combinations of isolated Bt‐toxins indicated that combinations had greater efficacy than other treatments (>98% mortality). The results demonstrate that E. heros is susceptible to B. thuringiensis toxins, which may contribute to the management of this insect in soybean agro‐ecosystems.

Compostagem de dejetos líquidos de suínos como fonte de nitrogênio na cultura de painço

production chain, mainly due to the increasing demand of swines in the international market (Steinfeld et al. 2006). Unlike European countries, Brazil does not have specific rules for the treatment and disposal of liquid waste produced. In Germany, the surface application of manure has been prohibited and, in the Netherlands, is not allowed to open new pig farms (Van Ruiten 1998). Thus, there is a need for strategies to reduce the volume of swine waste, maximize their fertilization potential and reduce the environmental pollution.